Welsh Assembly Government FABIAN WAY CORRIDOR TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT: MAIN REPORT January 2010 Revision A Welsh Assembly Government Fabian Way Corridor Transport Assessment Black REV A Welsh Assembly Government Fabian Way Corridor Transport Assessment January 2010 This report takes into account the particular instructions an requirements of our client. It is not inten e for an shoul not be relie upon by any thir party an no responsibility is un ertaken to any thir Ove Arup & Partners Ltd party 4 Pierhea Street, Capital Watersi e, Car iff CF10 4QP Tel ,44 -0.2920 401020 Fa2 ,44 -0.2920 402200 333.arup.com Job number 200815 Welsh Assembly Government Fabian Way Corri or Transport Assessment Contents Page 1 Intro uction 1 2 Stu y Approach 1 1 Policy Backgroun 6 4 The Corri or To ay 14 5 Corri or 8evelopment Proposals 10 6 Problems, Opportunities an ObCectives 41 0 Option 8evelopment an Sifting 45 8 Package Appraisal 56 9 Preferre Strategy 82 10 Implementation 91 11 The Way For3ar 99 12 References 101 Tables Error! No table of figures entries found. Figures Error! No table of figures entries found. Photographs Error! No table of figures entries found. J67CAR8IFF JOBS7200815 FABION WAY74 INTERNAL PROJECT 8ATA74-50 Ove Arup & Partners Lt REPORTS7FABIAN WAY CORRI8OR TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT_REV_A.8OC Rev A 19 January 2010 Background Welsh Assembly Government Fabian Way Corri or Transport Assessment 1 Introduction 1.1 Background Arup has been commissione on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government -WAG. to un ertake a strategic assessment of the transportation options for the A481 Fabian Way corri or. The corri or is sche ule to e2perience significant evelopment in the ne2t 25 years, generating increase travel eman . It is important that a balance transport strategy is evelope to support the sustainable evelopment of the corri or an to facilitate 3i er economic regeneration in the surroun ing catchment area. The Stu y has the follo3ing aims6 to revie3 the outputs of previous stu ies an assessments 3ithin the Stu y areaD to assess the opportunities an constraints on the corri orD to i entify appropriate transport options to enhance the movement of people an freight throughout the corri orD to present a robust, comprehensive an sustainable strategy for the corri or, inclu ing etermining the potential fun ing streamsD an to ensure full engagement 3ith all Stakehol ers. 1.2 Purpose of Report This Report presents the evelopment an assessment of transport options i entifie an teste to provi e a solution to the anticipate problems likely to occur uring evelopment of the Fabian Way corri or. The Stu y has been un ertaken base on the principles of the Welsh Transport Planning an Appraisal Gui ance -WelTAG. 1, an this Report comprises the WelTAG Planning Stage an Stage 1 Technical Report for the Fabian Way corri or. The outcome of this Report 3ill be a transport strategy compose of a series of measures to be implemente over the ne2t 25 years. The approach aims to ensure that all mo es of transport are appraise against both the Stu y ObCectives an sustainability criteria -Welsh Impact Areas of the economy, environment an social. taken from the Wales Transport Strategy 2. This inclu es measuring each optionEs performance regar ing eliverability, risk -ho3 they are manage an mitigate ., an the egree of support from Stakehol ers uring the consultation process. In a ition to this main Report there are -boun separately.6 a Technical Appen ices ReportD an a Summary Report. 1.3 Stud Area The Stu y area is sho3n on Figures 1.1 an 1.2. It covers the strategic route into eastern S3ansea, namely the A481 Fabian Way. The area inclu es a number of key employment sites, e2isting an propose resi ential areas, environmental sensitive areas an important infrastructure net3orks. The Stu y area is 3ithin both the boun aries of Neath Port Talbot County Borough -NPT. an the City an County of S3ansea -CCS.. This Stu y focuses on access to S3ansea City Centre as the key estination to the 3est of the Stu y area. It is recognise that there are a range of alternative estinations for Courneys from an through the Fabian Way corri or, but etaile consi eration of these are beyon the scope of this Stu y. Further 3ork is recommen e as part of the propose evelopment J67CAR8IFF JOBS7200815 FABION WAY74 INTERNAL PROJECT 8ATA74-50 Page 1 Ove Arup & Partners Lt REPORTS7FABIAN WAY CORRI8OR TRANSPORT Rev A 19 January 2010 ASSESSMENT_REV_A.8OC Welsh Assembly Government Fabian Way Corri or Transport Assessment of the Fabian Way corri or to consi er trips to estinations throughout the 3i er S3ansea area, taking into account the impact of other stu ies currently being un ertaken an any propose policies for City Centre management. 1.4 Stud Management The Stu y 3as manage by a Client Steering Group 3hich inclu e representatives of WAG, NPT an CCS. A copy of the Stu y Brief is inclu e in Appen i2 A of the Technical Appen ices Report. The Minutes of Client Steering Group meetings are inclu e in Appen i2 B of the Technical Appen ices Report. 1.5 Structure of Report The structure of this report is as follo3s6 section 2 provi es an overvie3 of the Stu y approachD section 1 outlines the policy conte2t at a national, regional an local levelD section 4 revie3s the e2isting con itions 3ithin the site areaD section 5 summarises the proposals for eveloping the corri or over the ne2t 25 yearsD section 6 i entifies the problems an opportunities that the Stu y is a ressing an iscusses the Stu y ObCectivesD section 0 evelops possible solutions an sifts themD section 8 appraises the package options an assesses the traffic impactD section 9 provi es an overvie3 of the preferre strategyD section 10 is concerne 3ith the implementation of the preferre strategy inclu ing fun ing mechanisms an programmeD an section 11 conclu es the ocument, ra3ing together its fin ings an recommen ations. J67CAR8IFF JOBS7200815 FABION WAY74 INTERNAL PROJECT 8ATA74-50 Page 2 Ove Arup & Partners Lt REPORTS7FABIAN WAY CORRI8OR TRANSPORT Rev A 19 January 2010 ASSESSMENT_REV_A.8OC Welsh Assembly Government Fabian Way Corri or Transport Assessment 2 Stud Approach 2.1 Introduction The metho ology for this Stu y 3as set out in etail in the Inception Report ate 11 November 2008 inclu e in Appen i2 C of the Technical Appen ices Report. Throughout the Stu y an particularly uring the appraisal process, the Stu y team follo3e the principles an a vice set out in WelTAG. WelTAG has been evelope by WAG 3ith the intention that is applie to all transport strategies, plans an schemes being promote or requiring fun ing from WAG. In or er to compete for public sector fun ing, proposals nee to emonstrate that they6 make a positive contribution to the obCectives for transport an hence the 3i er policy obCectives for WalesD provi e a goo value for moneyD provi e overall economic, social an environmental benefits to societyD an ma2imise benefits an minimise impacts. The ne3 gui ance a opts a t3o-stage approach to appraisal. Stage 1 is concerne 3ith screening an testing the options before more etaile analysis in Stage 2. It shoul be note that only Stage 1 is applicable for strategies such as this Stu y. Figure 2.1 sho3s the three main steps of the WelTAG process for a strategy6 planning, appraisal an strategy implementation. Figure 2. : The Structure of WelTAG at a Strategy Level The metho ology for the Stu y is base on the above iagram. The three main steps are note belo3 an e2plaine in more etail in the follo3ing sections. J67CAR8IFF JOBS7200815 FABION WAY74 INTERNAL PROJECT 8ATA74-50 Page 1 Ove Arup & Partners Lt REPORTS7FABIAN WAY CORRI8OR TRANSPORT Rev A 19 January 2010 ASSESSMENT_REV_A.8OC Welsh Assembly Government Fabian Way Corri or Transport Assessment 1. Planning - 3hich inclu e the follo3ing6 ° un ertaking a corri or revie3 to buil up a picture of the e2isting situation an un erstan ing the problems an opportunities 3ith the input of the relevant Stakehol ersD ° setting the transport planning obCectivesD ° eveloping an sifting options to mitigate against the e2isting an potential future problems i entifie 3ithin the corri orD 2. Appraisal F to compare options an select a preferre strategyD an 1. Implementation F to evelop a plan to ensure the preferre strategy can be implemente . 2.2 Planning Stage 2.2.1 Corridor Review The key to un erstan ing the possible future situation along the corri or is a etaile an accurate kno3le ge of the e2isting situation. This has been built up from a variety of sources, inclu ing esk-base research, site visits an iscussion 3ith key Stakehol ers. It covers the follo3ing key elements6 policy revie3D population, social emographics an travel patternsD transport an utility net3orksD an the natural an built environment. The information obtaine has been summarise as a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities an Threats -SWOT. analysis. 2.2.2 Problems, Opportunities and Objectives The corri or revie3 e2ercise provi e a etaile un erstan ing of problems an opportunities 3ithin the Stu y area. Ho3ever, a maCor source of information on e2isting an possible future transportation challenges has been obtaine from those 3ho kno3 the corri or 3ell. 8ialogue 3as establishe from the outset 3ith the many Stakehol ers 3ho have an interest in the future evelopment of the Fabian Way corri or, inclu ing local authorities, transport operators an possible evelopers.