TRANSPORT, HIGHWAYS & VILLAGE INFRASTRUCTURE

Current Situation The community is served by a number of bus services including those operating between A large part of Salhouse village is situated on the , Hoveton and Great Yarmouth. The B1140 road with the remainder located some ½ railway station, which is remote and not easily mile to the west on Norwich Rd, along Station accessible from the main part of the village, is on Road and close to the railway line. Lower Street is the Railway connecting Norwich with a key village thoroughfare and the main route for the north coast. access to housing and amenities. These roads are inter-linked by other smaller, mainly single track Norfolk County Council (NCC) and byways. Since the inception of the A47 Norwich District Council provide the normal range of southern bypass the village has seen a substantial services. Standard utilities are all available within increase in through traffic travelling between this Salhouse although mobile phone coverage is road and , via . The B1140 marginal. Whilst the analogue radio and TV is a designated HGV route between the east of the reception is good the digital replacement services county and Industrial Estate, as well as are, at the moment, subject to variable results a sugar beet transportation route to and from the depending upon location. Cantley processing plant.

Salhouse is the only village to lie directly under A number of the village roads have pavements the flight path for the instrument runway, Runway although the network is incomplete and of 27, for Norwich International Airport. variable quality; in some cases they are unsuitable for passage by mobility vehicles or push chairs. Where there are no pavements Consultation Process pedestrians must revert to using rural footpaths, in addition to main roads, to reach the amenities The Working Group comprised five members to or other locations within the Parish. Crucially, no whom specific subject headings were allocated for pavement or footway exists between the two research. halves of the village, only a rural footpath.

26 ♦ A master document was drawn up defining ♦ British Sugar (BSC) at Cantley, as a major the respective topics and detailing points of operator of heavy vehicles through the village, contact within the related authorities. Some of to ascertain their projections for sugar beet the potential areas for investigation were traffic in the foreseeable future. In summary it already known through previous Parish Council was stated that lorries of up to 44 tons would activities and general observations. continue to be used during the same winter collection period as now. Similar volumes would be transported but 24 hour operation ♦ Village ‘walkabouts’ were undertaken during was not planned. Surprisingly no statistics which the highways, pavements and traffic were available from BSC about the frequency conditions were noted to assist in preparation of lorries passing through Salhouse as BSC did of the household questionnaire. not consider it to be a main route, only localised collections. However, planned further ♦ The Awareness Day . The high turnout of investment in capacity and modernisation at village residents to this event expressed strong Cantley may increase traffic. views on a range of traffic related issues as well as about highways and pavements. ♦ Utilities were also consulted regarding any Additionally a range of other subjects future plans they might have for the village. concerning council and utility services were raised, all of which were subsequently embodied within the Questionnaire. Results of the Consultation Process

♦ Household Questionnaire. Questionnaire responses attracted a large amount of voluntary comment in addition to the ticked

boxes. This also reflected comment made at the ♦ Open Day. Awareness and Open Days, reaffirming the level of concern relating to traffic issues, highways, Consultation was also conducted with external pavements and other aspects of village agencies: infrastructure. Notwithstanding this, the villagers felt that, whatever measures were introduced to combat such issues, the character of the village ♦ Network Manager, Area & Transport Manager, should not be adversely affected. and the Highways Engineer, Department of Planning & Transportation, NCC and the Traffic Road & Traffic Concerns Management Officer Eastern Area HQ, Norfolk 100 Constabulary with whom numerous road safety topics pertaining to the village were reviewed 80 and site checks conducted to observe the specific conditions. 60

40 ♦ Northern Distributor Route (NDR) (Road Show Percent Team) - a visit was made to the NDR road- 20 show in order to view the detailed plans of the entire NDR route, in particular the eastern 0 sector which would affect Salhouse. The Reason primary thrust of these discussions Traffic density/noise concentrated on its effect on traffic flows and Traffic travelling too fast specifically how the NDR might benefit Too many HGVs Salhouse, namely by a reduction of through Lack of safe places to cross roads traffic and particularly HGVs to and from Lack of street lighting Rackheath Industrial Estate. Badly maintained roads Badly marked out roads Inadequate road signs None of these

Traffic Issues and Danger Areas. Almost every road in the village featured in comments regarding traffic speed, but most significantly in Lower St and Norwich Rd followed by Cheyney Avenue and Bell Lane. The vast majority wished to see measures being taken to curtail speeding, preferably through better enforcement or traffic

27 calming facilities. Traffic calming measures such Street and along Thieves Lane were turned down. as activated signs and speed limit reductions Since the consultation process the Parish Council figured highly whilst road narrowing schemes and has signed up to the Community Speedwatch limited access were less popular. Speed bumps Scheme recently introduced by Norfolk however were deemed to be unacceptable. Constabulary and operated by village volunteers.

Specific highways danger areas were identified: The Station Road railway bridge problem has since become the subject of a footway feasibility ♦ The dangers at Bell Corner were attributed to study by NCC and was allocated a high priority. the lack of visibility when exiting from Lower Street and from Hall Drive, linked with the Traffic Patterns The response from the village speed of traffic entering the ‘S’ bend from both reflected the significant increase in traffic flow and directions, particularly from Wroxham. It is density and its detrimental effect on the village also considered a dangerous point for environment in recent years. pedestrians to cross the road.

“The corner near the Bell. ♦ Concerns regarding the re-classification of - I find that corner is very dangerous” the B1140 from C class to B class and its re- designation as an HGV route to Rackheath ♦ Lower Street, approximately a mile in length Industrial Estate, in 1995, were strongly from Bell Corner to the Broad car park, is a reflected in the results. These concerns also main thoroughfare and residential area; it include the large sugar beet lorries using this gives access to most village amenities route continuously including the School. Comment focussed on during winter perceived excessive speed of traffic and the months. Further fact that this road is used by tourist coaches comments were also and large goods vehicles transiting the village, expressed about some of the latter being misled by SatNav. In sugar beet lorries addition, a danger spot exists at the narrow taking unsuitable blind bend between the shop and Mill Hill. routes such as through the railway

bridge in Station Road. There was a substantial ♦ Station Road Railway Bridge , with its majority in favour of the NDR being built, narrowness and poor visibility due to its particularly if this resulted in a benefit to location on a blind bend, is an acknowledged Salhouse and the reduction of traffic through problem and was re-emphasised yet again. the village.

♦ The need to rationalise and reduce speed limits, in particular those on Norwich Road and also on Honeycombe Road, was strongly advocated by a significant number of villagers. Currently the village is governed by a range of limits, see map on page 26 .

♦ The junction of Station Road with Norwich Road is located on a bend and is considered dangerous because of the poor visibility for approaching drivers on the Norwich Road, together with excessive speed on this 50mph stretch. This danger is exacerbated by the presence of bus stopping points, including the

school bus, close to the actual junction. In addition, the road surface condition is poor and an adverse camber exists at that point.

Actions Taken or Underway

A 20mph speed limit in Cheyney Avenue, instigated by Salhouse Primary School, has since been installed. Requests to extend this into Lower

28 “Norwich Road - speed limit is too high and respondents to the Questionnaire were people can't keep to it anyway” satisfied with the routes used, punctuality and generally with the frequency of service. However, an element of disatisfaction with the ♦ Road safety issues extended beyond the timetable in which it was noted that a gap immediate village boundaries to include the exists in the early evening making it dangers associated with exiting from the incompatible for attending events in Norwich. church. This point is also a key crossing on the rural footpath network and increasingly used as a starting area and car park for walkers. ♦ Reliability, bus stops and security were The stretch of road known as the ‘Hills and declared, by the majority, to be in the range of Holes’, towards Wroxham, also received similar ‘adequate/good’. It was under the categories comment in view of the spate of accidents that of cost, access for the disabled and timetable have taken place in that section. publicity that the rating changed to ‘adequate/ poor’. ♦ Traffic movements in the vicinity of the “First - friendliness of drivers is varied. school during drop off and collection periods If reliability includes punctuality it is poor” gave rise to substantial comment. It was strongly stated that, wherever possible, village ♦ The issue of access drew very strong criticism pupils should walk or cycle to school or that in the comments about the frequent and cars should park elsewhere and pupils walk unscheduled use of ‘coach’ style vehicles in from there. This assumes that the pavement place of modern low platform buses. This network is suitable or provision is made for results in serious inconvenience to the disabled appropriate supervision. or those with difficulties in negotiating the steep steps up to the platform. In some cases Actions Taken. it can mean those passengers waiting until a Carriageway edge marker posts have since been low platform bus arrives. installed along the more susceptible parts of Bell “When will all buses be able to take disabled?” Lane where several accidents have occurred in the recent past. Warning signs of pedestrians Since the consultation process these coaches crossing have also been installed on either side of have been withdrawn from this route. the church/footpath crossing point.

♦ Additional services to the Norfolk and Norwich Transport Systems. Salhouse is well served by Hospital, via Norwich, and a link to Great bus services but, for the large majority of Yarmouth, have been added since the households, the private car is predominant; this consultation process, which alleviate the caused the number of responses to the public problems of travel to the hospital and give transport questions to be proportionally reduced. direct access to the east coast. There was also very little interest in the use of car sharing schemes for transportation to work. Almost a half of households own a second family ♦ Hopper service, running between vehicle. As a method of transport the use of the and via Salhouse, produced a Bittern Line Railway, which links Norwich with negative response with most either not using on the north Norfolk coast, was the service at all or considering it to be of ‘no shown to be quite low. Salhouse village has no importance’. However, since the time of the cycleways to link it with adjacent area. Questionnaire, this service has been changed and now operates only between Salhouse and via Wroxham, therefore its utilisation ♦ The FIRST Bus and Anglian Coaches services, and usefulness need to be reassessed. A operating hourly to Norwich and Hoveton, were Flexibus service also operates between Acle classed as ‘important’ or ‘essential’. and Wroxham, calling at Salhouse, but has to be booked in advance by telephone.

♦ The remote location of Salhouse Railway Station, lack of security, high ticket cost, inconvenient timetabling and the ♦ In the case of the bus services to and from fact that not all Norwich and Hoveton the majority of trains stop at the

29 station were cited as reasons for the low experienced by those using mobility vehicles and utilisation. Conversely, almost a half said that push chairs. The lack of pavements/footpaths they would use it more if all trains stopped at resulted in substantial comment. Salhouse. The rail service may become more important to the village in future years, “Hedges in Lower Street blocking footpath, particularly if a congestion charge is introduced unable to permit a wheelchair on footpath to pass in central Norwich and as car running costs without falling over into road”. increase. However, the limit of 4 bicycles per train acts as a disincentive to potential cycle ♦ Norwich Road was the major focus on this users, and car parking is limited to 8 spaces. subject. The linear development, together with the speed of traffic, adversely impacts on any ♦ A lack of cycle tracks within the Parish, with form of pedestrian use of this road. The introduction of a 50mph speed limit in recent links to adjacent areas, were subject of years has had little positive effect on this. A comment throughout the consultation process. pavement was considered essential between Villagers spoke enviously of the recent Station Road and Mill Road, extending to provision of a comprehensive footpath include the bus stops at either end. cycleway in the adjacent Plumsteads. “Footpath needed between Mill (Road) corner & Highway s. The state of maintenance of the council houses, Norwich Road”. roads in Salhouse was predominantly considered to be ‘adequate’. ♦ Honeycombe Road was highlighted because residents experience difficulty in accessing ♦ The maintenance of Thieves Lane was village amenities. Located on this road is the defined as poor which is compounded by its popular Salhouse Garden Centre and TeaShop narrowness as well as the necessity of it being which is frequented by villagers some of a strategic bus route. whom, by necessity, have to walk. It is also the route to the popular Brick Kilns Public ♦ Honeycombe Road received comments about House and Restaurant. This busy road serves its unevenness, poorly defined road edges and as a link from the A47 Norwich southern by- lack of safety for pedestrians. pass through to north Norfolk.

“HGVs come down Honeycombe Road and churn up ♦ Traffic flow on Station Road has increased all verges and caused burst water pipes too” over the years giving rise to anxiety from residents about pedestrian safety, in particular ♦ Lower Street and parts of Thieves Lane are children using the school bus from Norwich susceptible to areas of standing water during Road. and after rainfall. “Lack of footpaths to Station Road, also the road under the railway bridge Station Road/Muck Lane - frequent near misses”

♦ Thieves Lane, which links Lower Street with Norwich Road and on which the Playing Field is situated, is narrow and badly surfaced. Pavements. The condition of Children using the school the village pavements was the bus which stops at the subject of significant Jubilee Hall use this Lane comment. In addition to being and it is the only access to too few in number they were the play area, playing field deemed to be too narrow, and recycling facilities. poorly maintained and suffering from the ♦ A section of Lower Street from Mill Hill to the encroachment of hedges and Salhouse Broad car park, and also from Bell root growth, particularly in Lane up to the church, were areas where many Lower Street. felt a pavement/footpath was necessary.

Reference was also made to the lack of access “To walk to Salhouse Broad is to risk your life” ramps onto pavements and the difficulties

30 Notwithstanding the above comment, there was a some comments about the fortnightly considerable body of opinion which felt that emptying cycle of the household green bins. pavements were not in keeping with a village Some felt that the dog waste bins should be setting. emptied more regularly.

“Dog bin in Cheyney Avenue is sometimes left until Although rural, the footpath linking Station bags are spilling out top... not very pleasant” Road with Hall Drive drew significant comment:

Utility services received a mixed reception. Gas, ♦ This footpath is not regularly maintained and water, landline telephone and the postal service therefore frequently overgrown and muddy were classified as being good. Electricity, mains underfoot. It is not suitable for everyday drainage, broadband and digital TV/radio services access to the Railway Station or the village were judged to give a lower level of satisfaction. amenities. However, as a result of the Mobile phone service coverage was classified as consultation process, this footpath has been mainly poor and unsatisfactory. placed on the NCC maintenance schedule and plans to upgrade the surface are in hand. ♦ Electricity service dissatisfaction mainly relates to the number of power cuts and in A small majority, including those living in the particular the frequent short term drop outs immediate area, were in favour of a pedestrian lasting just a few seconds. Periods of strong crossing on Mill Road, even if it came with some winds and storms often result in power failures form of street lighting for that area. However, it which may be exacerbated by the use of should be noted that this question was posed overhead power cables. before the service “We seem to have an excess of power failures” station closed and development of the site ♦ Village drainage problems mainly refer to could change this periods of heavy rain when water has been situation. A crossing forced back up the manhole covers in Lower here would also inject a Street resulting in raw sewage being deposited level of traffic calming into some gardens. The pumping station at the in Mill Road. east end of Lower Street also malfunctions with resulting sewage overspills. Other areas Although a ¼ of households thought that the lack of the village also suffer from standing water of street lighting in the village was a problem, the where the drainage systems appear to be majority of comment throughout the consultation unable to cope, possibly due to either being process was against any large scale street lighting blocked and/or poor maintenance. Anglian in the village. Water has stated it has no plans for changes to the main drainage system although it intends to replace the main water pipes in Mill Road Localised parking problems also featured in the and Lower Street in 2008. comments, mainly due to narrow roads and inconsiderate parking resulting in blocked entrances and pavements.

Council Services such as drains and street cleaning, grass verges, gritting and bin collections were generally well received although some negative observations.

♦ The lack of grass verge cutting and non ♦ Broadband coverage quality appears to be removal of the clippings creates the potential patchy and, in particular, service quality to block the drains. Some villagers criticised appears be reduced toward the eastern end of the inconsistent road gritting within the village the village. The performance of broadband is during winter weather. subject to a number of complex factors including distance to the exchange, installation “Why not clear up grass cuttings quality and type of service contract.

and make a decent job of it”.

“(Digital radio coverage) pathetic!” “there's too much grass verge cutting - it should be more wild, with native wild flowers etc.” ♦ Digital TV/radio reception depends upon ♦ Waste disposal was generally good despite location and quality of installation therefore it

31 is difficult to form a valid opinion about these. standard security systems within their The analogue TV signal will cease in 2011 properties including smoke alarms; however, when this area will fully convert to digital TV. despite the large number of gas central heating systems in use, very few households had a carbon monoxide alarm. ♦ Mobile telephones registered the poorest level of performance; virtually all service providers have very marginal coverage. Apart ♦ A small majority supported the establishment from the inconvenience to villagers, this lack of of electricity generating wind turbines in coverage could affect the emergency services. the area, but only conditional to the village Since the survey one mobile telephone gaining some level of direct benefit and their company has obtained permission to install a remaining out of sight of the village. mast near Salhouse Hall which will improve coverage from that specific provider. However ♦ There was an equal divide on whether villagers it now seems unlikely to proceed. were concerned about additional flight path “No mobile signal at all” activity from Norwich Airport.

Supplementary Matters. The survey also Highways Strategic Appraisal addressed issues of energy efficiency, security and other allied topics relating to utility services. As a result of discussions with the Network Manager, Department of Planning & ♦ The main energy saving features of double Transportation, NCC, a Highways Strategic glazing, loft insulation and lagged water tanks Appraisal of all the major issues derived from the appear to be used by the majority of consultation process was compiled. This was households. particularly necessary as, in the past, issues had been dealt with piecemeal with consequent ♦ Cavity wall insulation is installed in about anomalies throughout the Parish. Moreover, in half the households but a very few have today’s economic climate funding is scarce and installed the latest green systems such as solar prioritisation is paramount. The Appraisal was water heating, wind electricity generators or completed in September 2007 and despatched to solar power systems. NCC.

♦ Central heating systems are primarily run Rural Footpath linking Station Road with Hall by gas followed in smaller numbers by oil and Drive (Footpath 14) smokeless fuel/wood. A very small number use electricity, LPG and solid fuel. Most of the Although a rural footpath would not normally be households using oil based systems expressed included in the above Appraisal the strategic an interest in a bulk buying scheme if it were importance of this footpath, in that it is the only available. specific pedestrian link between the two parts of the village, is such that it merits attention. ♦ As expected, the majority of sewage disposal Accordingly, a full Footpath 14 Report was is via the mains sewerage system although incorporated into the Highways Strategic some septic tanks and cesspits are still in use. Appraisal as an Annex. Footpath 14 is also covered in the Recreation and Leisure Footpath

Report in this Parish Plan. ♦ A large number of households use a variety of

Norwich Rd/Station Rd junction Upper Street

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