Smart Motorways Programme M1 Junction 13 to 16 Environmental Study Report November 2017 Notice This report takes into account the particular instructions and requirements of our client. It is not intended for and should not be relied upon by any third party and no responsibility is undertaken to any third party Smart Motorways Programme M1 J13 - 16 Environmental Study Report – Main text Table of contents Chapter Pages Executive summary 5 1. Introduction 9 1.1. Overview of the Proposed Scheme 9 1.1 Purpose of this Environmental Study Report 9 1.2 Background to the Smart Motorways Programme 10 1.3 The Road Investment Strategy and Highways England Licence 11 1.4 Regulatory framework 17 1.5 Scope and context of this report 18 The Proposed Scheme 20 2.1 Need for the Proposed Scheme 20 2.2 Description of the Proposed Scheme 20 2.3 Planned development and overlapping schemes 27 2.4 Land take 27 2.5 Work sequencing 27 2.6 Construction, operation and long term management 28 Alternatives considered 30 3.1 Programme level alternatives 30 3.2 Scheme specific alternatives 30 Environmental impact assessment methodology 32 4.1 Screening 32 4.2 Scoping 32 4.3 Stakeholder consultation 36 4.4 Methodology 37 4.5 Assumptions and limitations 39 Air quality (construction fugitive dust and operation) 40 5.1 Introduction 40 5.2 Study area 41 5.3 Methodology 42 5.4 Baseline conditions 51 5.5 Limitations 55 5.6 Embedded mitigation and enhancement 55 5.7 Potential construction effects 56 5.8 Potential operation effects 56 5.9 Further mitigation and enhancement 74 5.10 Residual effects 74 5.11 Summary 74 Noise and vibration (construction and operation) 76 6.1 Introduction 76 6.2 Study area 78 6.3 Methodology 80 6.4 Baseline conditions 87 6.5 Assumptions and limitations 90 6.6 Embedded mitigation and enhancement 94 6.7 Potential construction effects 98 6.8 Potential operation effects 110 6.9 Further mitigation 118 Smart Motorways Programme M1 J13 - 16 Environmental Study Report – Main text 6.10 Residual effects 119 6.11 Summary 120 Landscape, visual (operation) and cultural heritage (setting) 124 7.1 Introduction 124 7.2 Study area 125 7.3 Methodology 126 7.4 Baseline conditions 128 7.5 Sensitivity of resource 131 7.6 Limitations 132 7.7 Embedded mitigation 132 7.8 Potential construction effects 133 7.9 Potential operation effects 133 7.10 Further mitigation and enhancement 134 7.11 Residual effects 136 7.12 Summary 136 Nature conservation (construction) 140 8.1 Introduction 140 8.2 Study area 141 8.3 Methodology 142 8.4 Baseline conditions 147 8.5 Sensitivity of resource 150 8.6 Limitations 153 8.7 Mitigation and enhancement 154 8.8 Potential construction effects 158 8.9 Enhancement measures 161 8.10 Summary 163 Road drainage and the water environment (floodplain impingment) 166 9.1 Introduction 166 9.2 Methodology 167 9.3 Baseline conditions 168 9.4 Sensitivity of resource 175 9.5 Assumptions and limitations 176 9.6 Embedded mitigation and enhancement 176 9.7 Potential construction effects 177 9.8 Potential operational effects 179 9.9 Further mitigation and enhancement 180 9.10 Residual effects 180 9.11 Summary 182 Assessment of cumulative effects 183 10.1 Introduction 183 10.2 Methodology 183 10.3 Limitations 193 10.4 Potential effects 194 10.5 Summary 218 Conclusion 219 11.1 Introduction 219 11.2 Outline Environmental Management Plan 220 11.3 Conclusion 220 Glossary and abbreviations 222 Appendix A. Drawings 226 Smart Motorways Programme M1 J13 - 16 Environmental Study Report – Main text Appendix B. Air Quality 228 Appendix C. Noise and vibration 229 Appendix D. Landscape and visual 230 Appendix E. Cultural heritage 231 Smart Motorways Programme M1 J13 - 16 Environmental Study Report – Main text Executive summary Introduction Highways England (HE) has commissioned the AmeyArup Joint Venture (AAJV) to design and assess a proposed Smart Motorway (SM) All Lane Running (ALR) scheme on the M1 between Junction 13 – Milton Keynes (J13) and Junction 16 – Northampton (J16), referred to in this report as the ‘Proposed Scheme’. The Proposed Scheme lies within Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire (as shown in drawing HA549348-AMAR-GEN-SWI-DR-YE-000001, Appendix A). Highways England expects to commence construction of the Proposed Scheme in spring 2018 and construction is expected to take around 39 months, including commissioning. The Proposed Scheme comprises 38km of Dual 4 Lane Smart Motorway, All Lane Running (D4SM-ALR), in accordance with IAN 161/15, between J13 (northbound merge) and J16, and Through Junction Running (TJR) at J14, J15, J15a and J16 with a lane gain/drop on the northern side of J13. Thirty-eight new Emergency Refuge Areas (ERAs), and 101 gantry structures fitted with Advanced Direction Signs (ADS), Advanced Motorway Indicators (AMI), strategic signs (MS3) and variable messaging signs (MS4) are proposed. Five of these gantry structures are existing, three at J13, and two which form part of the M1 J19- 16 Smart Motorway scheme. A total of 4.5km of noise barrier is proposed at Design Fix 3 (DF3). As part of the design, Lanes 1 and 4 will be re-surfaced with Low Noise Surfacing (LNS), Lanes 2 and 3 will remain as existing, with LNS in the southern part of the scheme and existing HRA in the northern part of the scheme being retained. The current central reserve will be replaced with a Rigid Concrete Barrier (RCB) between J13 and J15. A RCB between J15 and J16 has already been delivered as part of the M1 J19-16 Smart Motorway scheme. A new and replacement Vehicle Restraint System (VRS) will be placed within the verges. The site clearance area of the Proposed Scheme as at DF3 is around 243ha. All works will take place within the existing highway boundary and as such there is no requirement for additional land. This Environmental Study Report (ESR) presents the findings of the non-statutory environmental assessment undertaken to identify and assess potential environmental impacts that could arise from the Proposed Scheme, and proposes mitigation measures to minimise these impacts in order to inform the planning, design and construction process and satisfy legal obligations. Local environment The Proposed Scheme runs through a predominantly rural landscape, however main settlements intersperse this along the route including Milton Keynes at J14 and Northampton at J15 and J15a. The Broughton Brook, River Ouzel, River Great Ouse, Wootton Brook and tributaries and the River Nene are located adjacent to the Proposed Scheme, all designated with areas of Flood Zone 3. There are seven Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs): St Albans District Council (AQMA No.2); Luton District Council (AQMA No.1 and No.2); Northampton Borough Council (AQMA No.1 and No.5); South Bucks District Council (AQMA No.1) and Wycombe District Council (AQMA No.1) within 200m of the Affected Road Network (ARN). There are seven noise Important Areas (nIA) (6279, 5406, 11979, 8140, 8062, 8061 and 8059) within the study area. There are no European designated sites within 2km or Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) with bats as a qualifying feature within 30km. Three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and twenty nine non- statutory designated sites lie within the study area but are located outside the Zone of Influence (ZoI) for the Proposed Scheme and therefore were not considered further within the environmental assessment. There is one non-statutory ecological site located within the soft estate of the Proposed Scheme, the M1 J14-15 Milton Keynes Wildlife Corridor (MKWC). From records and surveys there are thought to be a number of protected species within the soft estate affected by the Proposed Scheme including great crested newt (GCN), badger, bats, hazel dormouse, reptiles, otter and water vole. Specifically, badger setts, 11 GCN ponds within 250m, and two bat roosts close to J14 (Daubenton’s maternity summer roost) and J15a (soprano pipistrelle day roost) were confirmed as present during the 2016 survey season. Further detailed surveys during 2017 will confirm the assumed presence of dormouse, otter and water vole. No areas of ancient woodland fall within the Proposed Scheme but four areas (Gayhurst Wood, Hoo Wood, Stocking Wood and Salcey Forest) lie immediately adjacent to the works area. There are no Category A outfalls however there are seven Category B priority outfalls within the Proposed Scheme extent. The motorway corridor is generally well screened by vegetation, in particular when it cuts through or abuts settlements adjacent to the Proposed Scheme. This screening vegetation is classed as highly sensitive to change in a HA549348-AMAR-EGN-SWI-RP-YE-000200 5 Smart Motorways Programme M1 J13 - 16 Environmental Study Report – Main text number of places due to the valuable screening function it provides. The motorway is crossed by a number of Public Rights of Way (PRoW) used by non-motorised users (NMUs). Air quality (construction and operation) During construction any effects on air quality will be temporary and can be effectively minimised by the application of standard and appropriate mitigation measures, as secured via the Outline Environmental Management Plan (OEMP) (HA549348-AMAR-EGN-SWI-SH-YE-000010). As such any effects are considered not significant. The baseline assessment demonstrates that there are existing air quality issues within the study area, with exceedances of the NO2 annual mean Air Quality Objective (AQO) being observed along the M1 and M40 corridors at locations adjacent to or within the existing AQMA areas. Assessment of annual mean NO2 concentrations in 2021 indicated there is likely to be only one receptor (#482) on the M40 which will continue to experience exceedances of the annual mean NO2 AQO.