Engineering Services Local Transport Plan 2006-11 Progress Report 2008 Head of Engineering Services Foreword Welcome to our 2008 Local Transport Plan Progress Report in which you will find an update on the progress we are making in delivering a broad range of Foreword local improvements, including some very exciting and innovative transport schemes and initiatives. I believe that the Council has a lot to be proud of in terms of the progress and ongoing improvements that are being made. The adoption of our challenging Eco-Island Sustainable Communities Strategy, the development of a new Local Development Framework (Island Plan) and progress towards delivery our highway maintenance Private Finance Initiative (PFI) have provided us with a firm foundation on which to build for the future. We continue to take an innovative and exciting approach to improving local transport, reducing accidents and increasing travel choice on the Island. We have re-evaluated and improved our financial management and procurement processes and are using our Transport Asset Management Plan, not only to inform and guide our spending, but also as an essential part of delivering our PFI. Ongoing work with our partners has helped to dramatically increase the number of passengers using our local bus services and rail improvements are being made through the Community Rail Partnership as well as through the development of a new and exciting multimillion pound interchange at Ryde Esplanade. The Council is seeking to increase travel choice and the delivery of a joint Workplace Travel Plan in partnership with our local hospital / PCT, work with SUSTRANS and others to improve local cycle facilities and delivery of cycle training as part of the school curriculum, are all helping to reduce reliance on the car. In addition to this, our work to develop our Rights of Way Improvement Plan, the delivery of local safety schemes, proactive speed reduction measures and other “hearts and minds” initiatives have all shown that, even as a small authority, we can by working with our partners make tangible and worthwhile improvements. Councillor Tim Hunter-Henderson Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport. Isle of Wight Local Transport Plan – 2008 Progress Report 3 Foreword 4 Isle of Wight Local Transport Plan – 2008 Progress Report Access to Information Report Circulation In order to minimise costs and impact on the environment, the Council will not be providing printed copies of this full report but will instead make copies available on CD-ROM and via the Council’s website (see below). The Council has also produced a DL leaflet summarising key points and detailing how to view the full report. Copies of this leaflet will been sent to: Access to Information • Council Members. • All Council departments. • Town and Parish Councils. • Rural Community Council. • Quality Transport Partnership members. • Transport operators. • Interest groups / organisations. • Major employers. • Health service providers. • All Island schools. • Isle of Wight College. Available on the Internet This full report together with the Council’s first and second Local Transport Plans and previous Annual Progress Reports can be downloaded from the Council’s website. Other documents are also available online, including the Sustainable Community Strategy – “Eco Island”, the Council’s Corporate Plan, Best Value Reports, Unitary Development Plan, details of the emerging Local Development Framework (LDF) Core Strategy and Local Agenda 21 strategy. The Councils website can be found at www.iwight.com or www.iwight.com/transport for the LTP, APRs and other related transport documents. Inspection Copies The Council has made CD copies of this document available for inspection at the following locations: • Island libraries: Newport, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor, Cowes, East Cowes, Freshwater, Brighstone, Bembridge, Niton, and on the Mobile Library. • Isle of Wight Council - Customer Reception Area, County Hall, High Street, Newport. • Engineering Services, Enterprise House, St Cross Business Park, Monks Brook, Newport, Isle of Wight. • Planning Offices, Seaclose Offices, Seaclose Park, Fairlee Road Newport, Isle of Wight. Isle of Wight Local Transport Plan – 2008 Progress Report 5 • Customer Information Points. Other Versions For details on how to obtain a copy of the plan in large print, Braille, on tape, disc or in other languages, please contact Chris Wells on (01983) 821000 (type calls welcome) fax (01983) 823545 or email: [email protected] Explanatory Leaflets A set of information leaflets have been produced explaining all aspects of the Access to Information Council’s Engineering Service, including leaflets on Local Transport Plans, Annual Progress Reports and School Travel Plans. Copies of these leaflets are available free of charge from the Engineering Services department or can be downloaded from the Council’s website at www.iwight.com/transport Engineering Services Isle of Wight Council Enterprise House St Cross Business Park Monks Brook Newport Isle of Wight PO30 5WB Tel (01983) 821000 Fax (01983) 823545 Typetalk calls welcome Extracts of this publication may be made for non-commercial use, subject to the source being acknowledged. 6 Isle of Wight Local Transport Plan – 2008 Progress Report Contents Page FOREWORD 3 ACCESS TO INFORMATION 5 Contents Page A INTRODUCTION 9 A.1 Local Transport Plan (LTP) 9 A.2 Why did we produce this Report? 10 A.3 How this report is structured 10 A.4 Consultation 12 A.5 Taking account of Government feedback 13 A.6 Summary of our progress 14 B TRANSPORT’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE WIDER CONTEXT 15 B.1 Introduction 15 B.2 What we have done (April 2006 – March 2008) 18 B.3 Working with our partners 23 B.4 Cross Solent issues 25 B.5 Solent crossings – improvement and investments 27 B.6 Wightlink – recent improvements 27 B.7 Red Funnel – recent improvements 29 B.8 Hovertravel – cross Solent hovercraft connection 30 B.9 Improving travel by bus 32 B.10 Improving travel by train 33 B.11 Transport and education 34 B.12 Transport and the Healthy Schools initiative 36 B.13 Reducing the impacts of transport 38 B.14 Improving our Rights of Way network 39 B.15 Summary of delivery 40 B.16 Ongoing delivery – looking forward 40 B.17 Risks and opportunities 41 C INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY 45 C.1 Objectives and targets 45 C.2 Introduction 45 C.3 Local Accessibility Action Plans 47 C.4 Local Accessibility Action Plan – Carisbrooke Park Estate 49 C.5 Local Accessibility Action Plan 2 – Freight 53 C.6 Summary of delivery 57 C.7 Ongoing delivery – looking forward 57 C.8 Risks and opportunities 58 D PROMOTING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY 61 D.1 Objectives and targets 61 D.2 Introduction 61 D.3 What we have done (April 2006 – March 2008) 62 D.4 Summary of delivery 66 D.5 Ongoing delivery – looking forward 67 D.6 Risks and opportunities 68 E IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY AND HEALTH 71 E.1 Objectives and targets 71 E.2 Introduction 71 E.3 What have we done (April 2006 – March 2008) 72 E.4 The Road Safety Plan 74 E.5 Developing our schemes and initiatives 75 Isle of Wight Local Transport Plan – 2008 Progress Report 7 E.6 Transport, road safety and health - the bigger picture 83 E.7 Ongoing work in this area (April 2008 – March 2011) 86 E.8 Summary of delivery 87 E.9 Ongoing delivery – looking forward 89 E.10 Risks and opportunities 90 F IMPROVING AIR QUALITY & THE ENVIRONMENT 93 F.1 Objectives and targets 93 Contents Page Contents F.2 Introduction 93 F.3 What we have done (April 2006 – March 2008) 94 F.4 Summary of delivery 104 F.5 Ongoing delivery – looking forward 106 F.6 Risks & Opportunities 108 G TACKLING CONGESTION 111 G.1 Objectives and targets 111 G.2 Introduction 111 G.3 What we have done (April 2006 – March 2008) 112 G.4 Identifying areas of local concern 113 G.5 Increasing bus patronage 115 G.6 Enhancing travel by train 118 G.7 Increasing the numbers travelling by cycle 123 G.8 Developing and integrating our Rights of Way Network 127 G.9 Powered Two Wheelers 131 G.10 School Travel Plans - changing travel behaviour 132 G.11 Summary of delivery 138 G.12 Ongoing delivery – looking forward 140 G.13 Risks and opportunities 142 H ENSURING EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT 147 H.1 Objectives and targets 147 H.2 Introduction 147 H.3 Addressing our network management duties 148 H.4 Making the best use of our transport network 148 H.5 Managing our transport assets 152 H.6 Developing our Private Finance Initiative 153 H.7 Managing our spending 157 H.8 Achieving Value for Money (VFM) 161 H.9 Major Bids update 166 H.10 Refresh Bids (SEERA) 168 H.11 Summary of delivery 171 H.12 Ongoing delivery – looking forward 171 H.13 Risks and opportunities 172 I PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 175 I.1 Introduction 175 I.2 Hitting our Targets 175 I.3 Target revisions 176 I.4 Addressing our targets 186 I.5 Performance Indicator Graphs 188 APPENDICES 1 ALL INDICATORS 197 2 CYCLE COUNTER DATA 199 3 FINANCE FORMS 200 4 PFI STRUCTURE CHARTS 206 5 CHECKLIST ON CONTENT 208 6 JARGON BUSTER 211 7 LOCATION MAP 214 8 Isle of Wight Local Transport Plan – 2008 Progress Report A. Introduction A.1 Local Transport Plan (LTP) Introduction The Transport Act 2000 requires every Highway Authority in England and Wales – with the exception of London Boroughs, to prepare a Local Transport Plan (LTP2) for their area. The aim of which is to set out the Council’s long- term vision for transport and includes a five year strategy and investment programme. The Isle of Wight Council’s first Local Transport Plan (LTP) was compiled in 2000 and covered the years 2001- 2006, with progress reported every year in the form of an Annual Progress Report submitted for evaluation to Government Office for the South East (GOSE) and the Department for Transport (DfT).