Technical note
Project: Lynchford Road To: Richard Humphreys Subject: Road Safety Audit - Designers From: Response Date: 10 Apr 2019 cc: Phil Marshall, Steve Willoughby
1. Introduction
This report results from a Stage 1 Road Safety Audit carried out on proposed capacity improvements for Lynchford Road in Farnborough, between Queens roundabout and Park Road Roundabout. The audit has been carried out in accordance with the requirements specified in Hampshire County Council’s Technical Guidance Note 18. The Road Safety Audit Team membership was as follows: -
Audit Team Leader: Steve Willoughby MCIHT MSoRSA Hampshire County Council
Audit Team Member: Ross Rawlings MCIHT MSoRSA Hampshire County Council
The Road Safety Audit comprised an examination of the documents provided, as listed in the Road Safety Audit Brief. The Audit Team visited the site together, on 16th January 2019 at 2:30pm. During the visit the weather was overcast/raining and the road surface was wet. Traffic conditions were free flowing. The Road safety Audit Team examined and reported only on the road safety implications of the scheme as presented and has not examined or verified the compliance of the design to any other criteria. All problems described in this report are considered by the Audit Team to require action in order to improve the safety of the scheme. Section 2 contains the designer’s response to the issues described. The location of the problems identified are shown on the annotated plan in the Road Safety Audit Report; Document reference: 03/163 DR. Client reference: R.J507253.01.
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 1
Technical note 2. Responses
2.1. Problem 1
Location: The proposed Tiger crossing on Alexandra Road. Summary: The risk of cycle/vehicle collisions. Drivers turning left from the A3011 Lynchford Road onto Alexandra Road will be concentrating on negotiating the roundabout and may not notice an eastbound cyclist approaching the tiger crossing from old Lynchford Road. This may lead to a collision between a vehicle and a cyclist on the crossing, or a shunt collision on the approach to the crossing if vehicles break suddenly. Recommendation: Retain the existing uncontrolled crossing where cyclists and pedestrians give way to vehicles. Response: Not Accepted. The crossing over Alexandra Road is part of an east-west cycle route and is a key link from the business districts around the airport and North Camp rail station. It is also a gateway to North Camp urban centre from the west. The overall design of the Lynchford Road scheme is based on Manual for Streets 2 and the HCC Companion Document and not just on DMRB. The Companion Document defines street types. The Old Lynchford Road, along with Camp Road, fulfils the role of a High Street for North Camp and the document offers the following bullet points on High Streets: • The primary business (shopping and commercial) street of a town • Often part of or close to the settlement core • Generally high pedestrian and vehicle use • Frequent links with adjoining networks of streets
The crossing has to support these activities in Old Lynchford Road by forming an attractive link to it from the west and surveys indicate that this is the busiest crossing at St Alban’s Roundabout. It is essential that a high-quality crossing facility is provided to minimise the severance of Alexandra Road on important east to west pedestrian and cycle movements. An uncontrolled crossing would not provide an appropriate level of service. The issue of visibility has been considered and was also raised during the public consultations. It will be further assessed in the detailed design of the eastbound approach to the roundabout to ensure maximum visibility. In addition, the configuration as a tiger crossing will delver better conspicuity than an uncontrolled crossing. The detail design will also consider placing the crossing on a raised table, which would reduce traffic speeds and minimise the likelihood of a collision between cyclists and motor vehicles.
2.2. Problem 2
Location: The west side of the proposed Tiger Crossing on Alexandra Road. Summary: The risk of cycle/pedestrian collisions.
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 2
Technical note The narrowed footway and realigned cycle route, together with the restricted forward visibility around the corner of the NatWest bank, will increase the risk of collisions between cyclists and pedestrians approaching the west side of the proposed tiger crossing. Recommendation: Widen the footway on the west side Alexandra Road in the vicinity of the crossing. Response: Part Accepted The footway width at on the west side of the crossing is constrained by the adjacent building. Moving the crossing north or south will provide more space. However, moving it south will increase the issue raised as Problem 1 and moving it north will take it away from the desire line and lead to jay walking/riding. At detailed design the configuration of the crossing, including the size of the central refuge will be reviewed to ensure maximum space is available on the western footway.
2.3. Problem 3
Location: The proposed Tiger Crossing on Alexandra Road. Summary: The risk of collisions between cyclists. The width of the cycle route across the tiger crossing is too narrow to accommodate two-way cycling and this may lead to collisions between cyclists. Recommendation: Widen the cycle route across the Tiger crossing. Response: Accepted; the widths of the crossing elements will be reviewed and adjusted during detailed design.
2.4. Problem 4
Location: St. Alban’s roundabout. Summary: A lack of pedestrian crossing facilities on the east side of the roundabout. There is an existing uncontrolled crossing point on Lynchford Road that utilizes the splitter island on the east side of the roundabout. This provides a direct route for pedestrians between Napier Gardens Car Park and Alexandra Road. There is no crossing point on the proposed dedicated left turn lane between Lynchford Road and Queens Avenue, and therefore this route has been severed. As a result, pedestrians may cross at inappropriate locations and this this may increase the risk of pedestrian/vehicle collisions. Recommendation: Provide an appropriate crossing facility on the east side of the roundabout. Response: Accepted; A dropped kerbs and tactiles will be provided to guide pedestrians as to the best place to cross.
2.5. Problem 5
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 3
Technical note Location: St. Alban’s roundabout. Summary: Inconsistent road marking will lead to confusion and increase the risk of collisions on the circulatory carriageway. On the Alexandra Road approach to the roundabout there is straight ahead/left turn arrow in lane 1, but the lane markings on the circulatory carriageway only guides this traffic to the left. This may lead to sudden lane changing on the circulatory carriageway and result in side swipe or shunt type collisions. Recommendation: Provide consistent road markings on the approaches and the circulatory carriageway. Response: Accepted; the marking of the circulatory carriageway will be reviewed to ensure consistent and readable paths for drivers through the roundabout.
2.6. Problem 6
Location: The Layby on the north side of Lynchford Road, between Peabody Road and Morris House. Summary: The risk of collisions between eastbound vehicles and the driver/passengers of vehicles in the layby. Due to the narrowness of the proposed layby, drivers/passengers will have difficulty getting in and out of their vehicle without themselves or their vehicle door encroaching into the carriageway. This will increase the risk of drivers/passengers being struck by passing vehicles. This problem is exacerbated by the narrow traffic lane widths that will result in lane 1 traffic driving closer to the parked vehicles. Recommendation: Widen the layby to a minimum of 3 metres to provide additional space for drivers/passengers to get in and out of their vehicles. Response: Not Accepted. The width of the street between the private land (including forecourts) on the northern side and the new highway boundary is limited by the operational constraints imposed on the land transfer by the MoD. The land to be acquired is 5m and more is not feasible given the need to manage the increase in consequential damage. Given the need to maintain an appropriate 2-Way Cycle track and a footway and the lack of overall highway width the bays cannot be widened. Refer to the technical note on design standards and the consequence analysis for the MoD.
2.7. Problem 7
Location: The Layby on the north side of Lynchford Road, between Peabody Road and Morris House. Summary: The risk of collisions between eastbound traffic and vehicles exiting the layby in a westbound direction. There is nothing to prevent westbound vehicles from crossing the carriageway to enter the layby on the north side of the road. This in itself may not cause a problem, but when drivers come to re- join the carriageway, they may have difficulty finding an appropriate gap in the traffic to safely
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 4
Technical note make this manoeuvre. This may result in a collision with eastbound vehicles. This problem is exacerbated by the narrowness of the layby which will not allow for the vehicles to edge out if their visibility is restricted by another vehicle in the layby. Recommendation: Provide measures to prevent vehicles from entering the layby in a westbound direction or remove the layby. Response: Not Accepted. The available width for the highway precludes any measures to prevent drivers accessing the loading bays the east or leaving them towards the west. The bays are essential to the operation of the businesses on the street and thus to the viability of North Camp. Drivers waiting to access the bays from the east will be in the off side lane and other drivers will be able to pass them in the nearside lane. At present drivers waiting to access the bays from the east block westbound traffic.
2.8. Problem 8
Location: The access to The Unit Gym and property numbers 213-215. Summary: The risk of collisions between right turning vehicles and cyclists. Drivers turning right into the gym car park or the driveways for property numbers 213 -215 will be concentrating on finding a gap in the two lanes of oncoming traffic and may fail to see fast moving cyclists riding along the footway/cycleway on the north side of the road. This may result in collisions between turning vehicles and cyclists. Recommendation: Provide measures to prevent vehicles from turning right. Response: Not Accepted. As with problem 7 the available width for the highway precludes any measures to prevent drivers accessing the Unit Gym the east or leaving it towards the west. Drivers waiting to access the Gym from the east will be in the off side lane and other drivers will be able to pass them in the nearside lane. At present drivers waiting to access the Gym from the east block westbound traffic. Through the detail design process, we will consider drop kerb designs that reduce vehicle speeds to minimise the risk of collision between vehicles turning into and out of the Unit Gym site. Such designs are standard within the Netherlands across side road and access points, where vehicles need to cross an adjacent footway and segregated cycle route. An example from Amsterdam is illustrated below.
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 5
Technical note
Similar designs have been used in the UK. The example below near Southampton Central Station is just a footway crossing, but follows the same drop kerb design principles.
2.9. Problem 9
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 6
Technical note Location: The eastbound approach to Park Road roundabout. Summary: Inconsistent road markings will lead to confusion and increase the risk of collisions on the circulatory carriageway. The existing lane destination markings on the eastbound approach to the roundabout are being changed, but there is no indication that the markings on the roundabout circulatory carriageway are also being amended to reflect these changes. This may lead to sudden lane changing on the circulatory carriageway and result in side swipe or shunt type collisions. Recommendation: Amend the road markings on the circulatory carriageway so they are consistent with the proposed markings on the approaches. Response: Accepted. The markings will be reviewed during detailed design including the advice on use of right turn arrows on the approaches to roundabouts.
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 7
Technical note Appendix A
Technical Note on “Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry”
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 8
Technical note
Project: Lynchford Road To: Jamie Roan / Phil Marshall Subject: Area Character Assessment From: Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry Date: 22 Mar 2019 cc: David Jowsey, Richard Humphrey
Purpose This technical note is to set out the areas in the design for the Lynchford Road improvements that have been constrained and sets out the rationale behind the criteria upon which the design is based and on the reasons for, and the consequences of, the geometry used. This is to aid in the technical approval of the current preliminary design before the scheme move forward to detailed design.
The first section of the note sets out the context of the street and the reasons why the design has followed the Manual for Street 2 guidance; the principal basis of design.
The second section sets out the consequences of this in terms of the highway geometry and any implications these have on the operational performance of the design.
The Principal Basis of Design
Street Context There are a suite of design manuals and design guidance.
The principal two national documents are:
• The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), and • The Manual for Streets (MfS1) and Manual for Streets 2 (MfS2)
All documents are guidance from the Department of Transport (DfT), however the DMRB is principally aimed trunk roads and is mandatory for these roads, In MfS1 the DfT states:
“The Department for Transport does not set design standards for highways – these are set by the relevant highway authority.
The Secretary of State for Transport is the highway authority for trunk roads in England and acts through the Highways Agency (HA). In Wales the Welsh Assembly Government is the highway authority for trunk roads.
The standard for trunk roads is the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). Some trunk roads could be described as ‘streets’ within the definition given in MfS, but their strategic nature means that traffic movement is their primary function. MfS does not apply to trunk roads.
The DMRB is not an appropriate design standard for most streets, particularly those in lightly-trafficked residential and mixed-use areas”
As a consequence, the DfT produced Manual for Streets but stated that:
“Although MfS provides guidance on technical matters, local standards and design guidance are important tools for designing in accordance with the local context. Many local highway authorities have developed their own standards and guidance.”
In April 2010 Hampshire County Council adopted its own design guidance as a Companion to MfS, with the Executive Member for the Environment stating:
Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry 1
Technical note “Three years after the Manual’s publication I am delighted to publish our ‘Companion Document to the Manual for Streets’. Some highway authorities have produced detailed guidance for applying the Manual for Streets at a local level, but we have taken a different approach. Hampshire is characterised by the variety and diversity of its landscape and of its towns and villages. What is right in terms of design in a market town on the chalk may not be suitable in a settlement on the coast; each has different characteristics and qualities.
The Companion Document reflects this by providing designers and planners with the approach and information they need to create places that are locally distinctive and have a clear sense of place.”
In the light of the Companion Document the question is thus what are the characteristics of the Blackwater Valley and of the towns and villages within it; and what are the is the appropriate street layout in the context of these characteristics.
The Blackwater Valley The Blackwater Valley is made up of the towns of Camberley and Frimley in Surrey, Farnborough, and Aldershot in Hampshire and Farnham in Surrey, together with a number of smaller centres. One of these centres is North Camp between Farnborough and Aldershot.
Access to the Blackwater Valley is from the M3 in the north and the A31 in the south. The Blackwater Valley Spine Road, the A331, links from Junction 4 on the M3 south to the A31 at Tongham, west of the Hog’s Back.
Connections into the Blackwater Valley Towns are via the A331, with Junctions at Frimley, Farnborough, North Camp and Aldershot. Of these accesses, Frimley is onto the A325, a dual carriageway with limited frontage activity whereas those at Farnborough, North Camp and Aldershot are via local streets with houses and shops lining the streets.
While an additional access is being provided between Aldershot and North Camp, albeit a northbound on slip only, there are significant flows through North Camp and Aldershot.
North Camp North Camp was assessed as part of the “Hampshire County Integrated Character Assessment - Aldershot and Farnborough Townscape Assessment” – see Appendix A. http://documents.hants.gov.uk/landscape/HICATownscapeType-AldershotandFranborough- FinalAutumn2010.pdf
“Predominant Land Use - Camp Road and Lynchford Road (facing North Camp) are the shopping streets of the character area. There is a good mix of shops, all independent retailers. Surrounding these areas are residential streets of mostly private dwelling houses with some flats. There are some residential units above shops, which add to the area’s vitality. There are two late-Victorian schools, a modern college, a number of chapels, a church and a public house. These all contribute to the sense that this part of South Farnborough works as a self-contained community. There is a real sense of place as a result of this mix of uses.
Public Realm - To the residential areas within the character area, the public realm is functional and appears well maintained. There are tarmac roads and pavements with on-street parking. Street lighting is by standard lamp columns. There are some street trees but not to the extent of the adjacent Farnborough Park. There are some good-sized mature trees to rear gardens and lining public open spaces set into the grid of streets. The wide Lynchford Road is lined, almost for its entire length, by mature trees on the south side of the road and these help enclose the side corresponding to the good enclosure from townscape on the north side.
Open Space - There is a series of planned open green spaces to this part of South Farnborough; within the character area there are recreation grounds (now with children’s play areas) and sports facilities set within and to the edges of the grid of streets. They are tree lined with private gardens backing on to them. Schools still retain playgrounds and there are long narrow gardens to all houses.
Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry 2
Technical note Biodiversity - There is a good degree of space given over to mature linked gardens which form green corridors through the character area. These are often back-to-back or back onto further tree-lined open spaces providing potential wildlife habitats.
Access and Connectivity - Due to the grid layout and footpaths crossing this character area, it is considered to be well connected to adjacent areas (subject to the constraints of restricted access to parts of North Camp to the south)”
The Character of Lynchford Road HCC’s companion document to MfS uses the following classifications for roads and streets
A - classified by function:
• By-pass/ring road • Main road * • Service road * • High street * • Shopping street * • Residential street *
* Lynchford has some of these functions and the predominance of these, and that it does not have the function of a ring road or a by-pass, argues more for the HCC companion to MfS than for DMRB as a background to the design
B - classified by physical form and features
• Market street * • Avenue • Boulevard • Crescent • Cul-de-sac • Square • Residential streets pre- and post-1914 * • Close • Lane • Esplanade • Mews • Courtyard • Arcade • Alley • Path *
* Lynchford has some of these forms and it is these forms that the companion is seeking to encourage.
Based on this assessment it has been key to work with the grain and character of the area and base the design of the street on the principles set out in HCC’s Companion to MfS.
Manual for Streets 2 In September 2010 additional guidance was been produced by the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transport, MfS2. The “Status and Application” section of MfS2 notes that:
“MfS2 builds on the guidance contained in MfS1, exploring in greater detail how and where its key principles can be applied to busier streets and non-trunk roads, thus helping to fill the perceived gap in guidance between MfS1 and DMRB…………..The strict application of DMRB to non-trunk routes is rarely appropriate for highway design in built up areas, regardless of traffic volume.”
Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry 3
Technical note MfS2 also defines the scope and some relevant guidance is provided below:
“It is therefore recommended that as a starting point for any scheme affecting non-trunk roads, designers should start with MfS.“
“The application of MfS advice to all 30mph speed limits as a starting point is in keeping with MfS1”.
Our emphasis underlies the key principles of MfS2, which supports the extension of the philosophy of MfS (and by inference the HCC Companion Document) to a much wider range of streets and roads than was assumed when the original MfS was published in 2007.
Thus, the underlying design criteria for Lynchford Road have been taken from Manual for Street, both the original and MfS2 while keeping in mind DMRB for detailed technical advice where appropriate. We believe this is an appropriate design approach, particularly given the advice in MfS2 on the applicability of MfS design guidance.
The key design elements relevant to Lynchford Road set out in the Companion are:
Market Street:
• Generally, the High Street and part of the historic core of a town • A wide street created to accommodate market stalls (this is principally the area by Camp Road) • Generally wide pavements • Building frontages set on the back edge of pavements • Often flanked by buildings of high architectural and historic quality (inter alia the MoD Barracks) • Pavements generally surfaced with unit materials (e.g. paving slabs or bricks) • Historic features and materials such as stone entrance steps to important buildings • On-street parking
In addition, the features of a Market Square, particularly relevant for the Old Lynchford Road east of Alexandra Road, include:
• A large space with converging narrower streets often created to accommodate a market • May be irregularly shaped • Pavements on all sides • Frequently flanked by buildings of high architectural and historic quality • Often with a central feature (statue/fountain etc)
The residential elements of the street would include:
• Straight streets often set in a grid pattern, of consistent width, with pavements • Houses are typically terraced in short rows or semi-detached, set uniformly to the street, either hard to the back of the pavement or set back with small front gardens
While Lynchford Road does fulfil an access role from the A331 into Farnborough and Aldershot; this role is principally fulfilled in the morning and evening peaks. For the majority of the time its role is that of an urban street and not a link road. It has to be accepted that the urban street elements on the north side need to be developed in conjunction with its links south to the MoD estate and to the park land of Napier Gardens.
Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry 4
Technical note Design Criteria
Lane Widths and Alignment The lane widths developed have thus been in accordance with Paragraph MfS 8.6.3 which indicates that Lane widths should be determined based on the following local considerations:
• the volume and composition of vehicular traffic; • pedestrian and cyclists’ needs; • the demarcation, if any, between carriageway and footway (e.g. kerb, street furniture or trees and planting); • whether parking is to take place in the carriageway and, if so, its distribution, arrangement, the turnover of spaces, and the likely level of parking enforcement (if any); • the design speed; • the curvature of the street (bends require greater width to accommodate the swept path of larger vehicles); and • any intention to include one-way streets, or short stretches of single lane working in two-way streets
It must be noted that for a section of the street the available width has been constrained by land availability arising from the need to balance land requirements for the street with the operational requirements of the Ministry of Defence.
The lane widths that have been adopted for the street are 2.9 metres for the kerb-side lanes, to allow for goods vehicles, and 2.6m for the off-side lanes. The reduction in width will have a significant impact on capacity and we have assessed whether this has an overall constraint on the ability of the street to fulfil it’s transport role while still providing the place making desirable in its town centre location.
Capacity Impact Assessment We have the ability of the narrow lanes to accommodate traffic flow. This is a link capacity and should not be confused confuse with Saturation Flow at junctions.
Smart Motorways have flow thresholds above which speeds are reduced to keep flow smooth
• 1650 - speed reduced to 60mph • 2100 - speed reduced to 50mph
Transport in the Urban Environment quotes flows from 1700 to 2400 per lane
In order to be robust, we should work with a flow no higher the lowest of these - thus we have assumed a basic link capacity of 1600 vph.
US Highways Design Manual gives flow reductions for lane width reductions. These are:
• 12ft (3.6m) 0% • 11ft (3.3m) 3% • 10ft (3m) 9% • 9ft (2.7m) 19%
Transport in the Urban Environment is less precise indicating a flow reduction of up to 15% for narrow lanes
Working on the basis of the assumed 1600 vph and a reduction of this figure by 20% (the width of two lanes is 5.5m or 2.75m per lane - 9’2”) gives a capacity of 1280 per lane.
There are two lanes in each direction and thus the link capacity would be 2560 in each direction. The future flows on Lynchford Road in the peaks are shown below and thus lane capacity is not the constraining factor.
• AM – West Bound 1,284 / East Bound 1,586 • PM – West Bound 1,198 / East Bound 1,704 PM
Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry 5
Technical note We have undertaken crossing and junction modelling to show that the crossings and junctions are the defining flow constraints but that these constraints are acceptable in the overall scheme context and the business case.
Safety We have set the lane widths in both directions such that the near side lane is 2.9 and the off side is 2.6.
The majority of goods vehicles and all buses will be in the near side lane. Eastbound the percentage of Light Goods Vehicles is 11.5%, and the percentage of other Goods Vehicles is 2.5%. Westbound the percentages are 10.9% and 2.9% respectively.
Maintenance There is a potential issue with narrow lanes in that driver will look to avoid gullies in the channel, especially if they are in poor repair. The intention is that kerb weir gullies will be used on the street, to avoid this issue. We are not proposing “Beany Block” or similar to avoid any increase in complications around maintenance.
Pedestrian and Cycle Needs There are two signalled pedestrian crossings. These are at Camp Road and at the eastern end of the Lille Barracks. These have been designed to be straight across crossings and the signals are on the kerb side; central islands have not been provided as requested by HCC ITS.
Cycle Facilities The use of Kerb Weir gullies will also make the paths of cyclists smoother and less problematic. However, a parallel off main carriageway cycle route is being provided as part of the overall scheme so cycle safety is, as far we can encourage cyclists choosing to use it allows, assured.
There is possibility that more confident cyclists will prefer to remain on carriageway rather than use the off- carriageway route. Should this be the case the use of kerb weir gullies will minimise any degradation of the carriageway adjacent to the kerb.
That being said it is likely that, being more experienced, these more confident cyclists will be able to proceed at a speed that minimises overtaking by other vehicles. However, if a vehicle does need to overtake, the proposed lane widths mean that it will have to make a positive decision to overtake using the offside lane, rather than try and stay in the lane pass a cyclist too closely, which the London Cycle Standards define as an issue if the lane width is between 3.2 metres and 4.0 metres.
It is anticipated that all cyclists will chose the use the alignment of Lynchford Road just west of the A331 as this leads to the overbridge over the A331 and the Blackwater Valley Cycle Routs and to North Camp Station.
Side Road Crossings There is a relatively large flow of traffic using Peabody and Morris Roads at the present. This is caused, at least in part by the eastbound congestion and the temptation to rat run away from Lynchford Road. Given the congestion relief to delivered by scheme this flow is anticipated to reduce.
In order to better manage the residual flow and to provide for a consistent and attractive route for cyclists and walkers along Lynchford Road and to create a sense of unification along Lynchford Road the use of “Copenhagen” Style Crossings is being proposed for the side roads off Lynchford Road, Peabody and Morris Roads. Camp Road leads off the original section of Lynchford Road cyclists will be in the carriageway over this section as part of the “Quiet Route” section of the off main carriageway.
Examples of such crossings are shown below and will be developed in more detail during the Urban Realm Study currently being undertaken of the town centre of North Camp.
Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry 6
Technical note Figure 1. Copenhagen Style Crossings.
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Technical note Appendix A - Aldershot and Farnborough Townscape Assessment
Lynchford Road Area Character Assessment Design Criteria and Resultant Geometry 8 2.12 FARN05 Queen’s Road environs (part of this area is also known as North Camp)
Queens Road © BLOM Urbex
2.12.1 Character Summary This character area comprises the Victorian (laid out by 1874) and Edwardian development of South Farnborough. It is strongly defined by a regular Victorian grid of streets which makes for memorable and robust traditional townscape. There is a commercial core to Camp Road and Lynchford Road facing North Camp. Much of Camp Road has been redeveloped and most shops have been retro-fitted to existing houses. There are some eclectic buildings to the street and grander buildings to corners. It is this mix of uses (the commercial and shop premises with residential of a tight regular grain) which gives this area its distinctive character. The surrounding residential suburbs comprise terraced or semi-detached brick houses with small front gardens, on narrow but deep plots. Houses are well articulated and read as good groups within streets.
2.12.2 Key Characteristics A good and distinctive mix of commercial and residential uses set out on a Victorian Street plan Flat topography throughout Historic (mostly Victorian) narrow plots set in a grid network of streets and open spaces Building line is consistent throughout; back of pavement entrance to shops, residential buildings have small front gardens with boundary walls and/or hedges Red brick (a number of which have been painted or rendered) and slate traditionally. Modern brick and modern concrete or clay interlocking tiles to twentieth-century buildings Predominant built form is two storey, some higher buildings to Lynchford Road and Camp Road A mix of uses but predominantly independent shops and services Good tree cover around recreational open spaces, and some street trees. Mature trees to long, narrow private gardens
56 Status: FINAL Autumn 2010 Hampshire County Aldershot and Farnborough Integrated Character Assessment Townscape Assessment
A hierarchy of streets of varying widths, mostly on-street parking and good enclosure throughout Good access and connectivity, favouring the pedestrian, because of a network of streets and footpaths throughout.
2.12.3 Boundaries and setting To the north and west is the area known as Farnborough Park (FARN06). To the east is the A331 which strongly defines this edge (and is the eastern boundary of the settlement). To the south is North Camp (ALD01a) but the A3011 (Lynchford Road) is the defining feature and strong edge to this boundary. Immediately to the west is the designated South Farnborough Conservation Area.
This area is well defined and contained from the south and to a lesser extent to the west. The north sees the setting of this character area blend into Farnborough Park (FARN06). However, Reading Road is a wide street with a series of larger civic buildings, such as a chapel and school buildings, which signal the edge of this contained community and the start of more strongly defined residential area to the north. Despite its close proximity to North Camp, the nature of the use (with its restricted access) results in limited interaction in townscape terms with this character area, although the shops and commercial units are a valuable amenity for the camp as well as the residential suburbs adjacent.
2.12.4 Designations There are no statutory listed buildings or designated conservation areas within the character areas.
The South Farnborough Conservation Area is immediately to the west, and the Aldershot Military Town Conservation Area includes a section of Queen’s Avenue, which links to Lynchford Road.
2.12.5 Townscape types present TCT05, 07, 09 and 10.
2.12.6 Topography The land falls very gently from west to east but this is only discernible on the longer roads (Such as Reading Road) which run east–west the length of the character area.
2.12.8 Layout and Pattern The streets and layout are part of the Victorian expansion of Farnborough, which occurred almost certainly as a direct result of the considerable Army presence in neighbouring Aldershot throughout the middle- and later part of the nineteenth- and early-twentieth centuries, and stretched as far as North Camp adjacent to the character area. The grid of Victorian Streets is still very clearly evident despite some redevelopment and amalgamation of plots (particularly to Camp Street). Surrounding Camp Street, the adopted commercial core, is a grid of streets running north–south and east–west set out in blocks of tight-grain terraced and semi-detached houses and private gardens backed onto the next block. Plots are narrow but relatively deep and each house has a good-sized garden. Houses are set back from the pavement with a small front garden with a boundary wall or hedge. There has been limited loss of
57 Status: FINAL Autumn 2010 Hampshire County Aldershot and Farnborough Integrated Character Assessment Townscape Assessment
front gardens to the parking of cars. Ridges to roofs run parallel to the street and there is some articulation and hierarchy within streets with single- and double-height bays (Reading Road). Chimneys and grouped windows provide the rhythm of the street facades and produce the fine-grained townscape seen throughout the character area. There are consistent building lines and good enclosure to all streets throughout.
2.12.8 Buildings and materials The predominant survival of built form is that of a traditional two-storey scale with some variation to roof form and orientation providing interesting townscape, particularly to Camp Street and Lynchford Road. There are some notable late- Victorian and Edwardian buildings such as the schools and chapels surviving, which are of architectural and historic interest (although they are not statutory listed). Most buildings date from the nineteenth- and early-twentieth century and older built fabric and detailing makes for interesting townscape where it survives.
There is a wide variety of materials throughout the character area. The predominant use is of brick, traditionally red/orange in colour for facades but with many modern variations in terms of texture and colour. A lot of brick buildings have been painted and/or rendered and painted. Roofs traditionally were natural slate, with some use of clay tile. The slate has survived to some degree although much has been replaced with modern concrete interlocking tiles.
The terraced, semi-detached and some detached houses within the character area’s residential streets are a traditional two storeys in height throughout with very little use of the roofspace for additional accommodation. The uninterrupted roof slopes with traditional chimneys produce a pleasing rhythm to the roofscape. There is a modest domestic scale to the residential streets of the character area. Camp Street and Lynchford Road are on a slightly grander scale in places with some two-and-a- half- and three-storey buildings mixed with two-storey ones.
There is some architectural and historic interest in the building types seen in the residential streets. They have been developed speculatively as small groups, usually of no more than eight to ten houses, and these groups have unifying characteristics such as bays, stringcourses in different coloured bricks, painted and decorative lintels, and sometimes more subtle detailing, either individually or in the groups, such as decorative ridge tiles.
The use of red brick is almost consistent and a unifying characteristic throughout, although there is a high degree of painted or rendered houses or former houses to the residential streets and commercial core (Lynchford Road and Camp Road).
The domestic scale of buildings in this character area is almost consistent throughout with very little over-development or detrimental extensions or alterations to damage the scale of existing housing stock. There are some later flat developments and these are usually in blocks of two and a half to three and a half storeys. These blocks, however have not damaged the overall cohesion and consistency to the character of streets throughout the residential sections of the area.
58 Status: FINAL Autumn 2010 Hampshire County Aldershot and Farnborough Integrated Character Assessment Townscape Assessment
2.12.9 Predominant land use Camp Road and Lynchford Road (facing North Camp) are the shopping streets of the character area. There is a good mix of shops, all independent retailers. Surrounding these areas are residential streets of mostly private dwelling houses with some flats. There are some residential units above shops, which add to the area’s vitality. There are two late-Victorian schools, a modern college, a number of chapels, a church and a public house. These all contribute to the sense that this part of South Farnborough works as a self-contained community. There is a real sense of place as a result of this mix of uses.
2.12.10 Public realm To the residential areas within the character area, the public realm is functional and appears well maintained. There are tarmac roads and pavements with on-street parking. Street lighting is by standard lamp columns. There are some street trees but not to the extent of the adjacent Farnborough Park. There are some good-sized mature trees to rear gardens and lining public open spaces set into the grid of streets.
The wide Lynchford Road is lined, almost for its entire length, by mature trees on the south side of the road and these help enclose the side corresponding to the good enclosure from townscape on the north side.
2.12.11 Open space There is a series of planned open green spaces to this part of South Farnborough; within the character area there are recreation grounds (now with children’s play areas) and sports facilities set within and to the edges of the grid of streets. They are tree lined with private gardens backing on to them. Schools still retain playgrounds and there are long narrow gardens to all houses.
2.12.12 Biodiversity There is a good degree of space given over to mature linked gardens which form green corridors through the character area. These are often back-to-back or back onto further tree-lined open spaces providing potential wildlife habitats.
2.12.13 Access and connectivity Due to the grid layout and footpaths crossing this character area, it is considered to be well connected to adjacent areas (subject to the constraints of restricted access to parts of North Camp to the south).
59 Status: FINAL Autumn 2010 Hampshire County Aldershot and Farnborough Integrated Character Assessment Townscape Assessment
Technical note
Appendix B
Consequence Analysis of the Boundary Relocation for the MoD.
Lynchford Road - RSA - Designers Response Final 9 Lynchford Road
Principal Security Consultant @atkinsglobal.com :
DRAFT REV D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
1 Datum
NOTE:
A datum has been set as the existing MoD perimeter fence line that results in a minimum stand-off distance of circa 20m to the nearest building structure.
The reality of the location is that the existing perimeter fence construction, and perimeter landscaping/topography, would provide no resistance to a determined and deadly VBIED attack on the facility therefore the existing stand-off against a determined attack is potentially 0m.
Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
2 Datum set as
existing fence 40 line. 30
20
10 40 D 40 30
30 20
20 10
10 C A B
Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
3 Vehicle Size
Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
4 Segment 1 + 2 + 3 : 231m
Segment 1 + 2 : 160m
Segment 1 : 70m
Acceleration Distance Veh Wt 70m 160m 231m
Car M1 1500kg 40 53 61 Small Van N1G 2500kg 33 43 49 Large Van N1 3500kg 32 41 47 Small Lorry N2 7500kg 25 33 39
impact speed in mph
Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
5 Datum set as
existing fence 40 line. 30
20
10 40 D 40 30
30 20
20 10
10 C A B
Load Bearing Masonary A & B ABOVE Stand-Off (m) 0 -5 5 - 10 10 - 15 15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 30 30 - 35 35 - 40 40 + Total Collapse TC Charge (TNT eqv) Major Collapse MC Car 100kg TC MC DBR SD MD Damage Beyond Repair DBR Small Van 500kg TC MC DBR SD MD Serious Damage SD Large Van 1000kg TC MC DBR SD Moderate Damage MD Small Lorry 1500kg TC MC DBR
Modern Framed Building C & D ABOVE Stand-Off (m) 0 -5 5 - 10 10 - 15 15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 30 30 - 35 35 - 40 40 + Charge (TNT eqv) Local Callaps LC FD Car 100kg LC FD SFD MFD Min FD Severe Façade Damage Severe Façade Damage SFD Small Van 500kg LC FD SFD MFD Min FD Local to Device Moderate Façade Damage MFD Large Van 1000kg LC FD SFD MFD Min FD Minor Façade Damage Min FD Small Lorry 1500kg LC FD SFD MFD
Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
6 Damage Criteria – Load Bearing Masonry A B
Load Bearing Masonary A & B ABOVE Total Collapse TC Major Collapse MC Damage Beyond Repair DBR Worst case scenario stand-off reduced from 20m to 16.5m Serious Damage SD Moderate Damage MD
Stand-Off (m) 0 -5 5 - 10 10 - 15 15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 30 30 - 35 35 - 40 40 + Charge (TNT eqv) Car 100kg TC MC DBR SD MD Small Van 500kg TC MC DBR SD MD Large Van 1000kg TC MC DBR SD Small Lorry 1500kg TC MC DBR
1 No Change 2 Kerb on fence line and thus 1m to new fence line 3 2m to kerb and 3m to new fence line 4 2.5m to kerb and 3.5 to new fence line
Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
7 Damage Criteria – Modern Frames Building C D Modern Framed Building C & D ABOVE
Local Callaps LC FD Worst case scenario stand-off reduced from 20m to 16.5m Severe Façade Damage Severe Façade Damage SFD Local to Device Moderate Façade Damage MFD Minor Façade Damage Min FD
Stand-Off (m) 0 -5 5 - 10 10 - 15 15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 30 30 - 35 35 - 40 40 + Charge (TNT eqv)
Car 100kg LC FD SFD MFD Min FD
Small Van 500kg LC FD SFD MFD Min FD
Large Van 1000kg LC FD SFD MFD Min FD Small Lorry 1500kg LC FD SFD MFD
1 No Change 2 Kerb on fence line and thus 1m to new fence line 3 2m to kerb and 3m to new fence line 4 2.5m to kerb and 3.5 to new fence line
Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
8 Lynchford Road: Draft Rev D 1.0 : 30.08.2018
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