PROOF OF EVIDENCE Peel L&P Developments Ltd Planning Appeal Relating to Development at Haydock Point, St Helens January 2021 LPA Ref P/2017/2054/OUP PINS Ref APP/H4315/W/20/3256871 VN201731 Transport Proof of Evidence Christopher Robert Hargreaves (Director of Vectos (North) Ltd) vectos.co.uk i Report control Document: Transport Proof of Evidence Project: Haydock Point Public Inquiry Client: Peel L&P Developments Ltd Job number: VN201731 File origin: N:\Vectos Job Data\2020\VN201731 Haydock Public Inquiry\Docs\Reports\Proof of Evidence\VN201731 Haydock Point - Transport Proof of Evidence v6.docx Document checking Primary Author: Chris Hargreaves Initialled: CH Contributor: Oliver McLaughlin Initialled: OM Review by: Chris Hargreaves Initialled: CH Issue Date Status Checked for issue 1 04/11/20 First Draft CH 2 27/11/20 Second Draft CH 3 13/12/20 Third Draft CH 4 06/01/21 Fourth Draft CH 5 15/01/21 Fifth Draft CH 6 26/01/21 Final CH Haydock Point Public Inquiry vectos.co.uk ii Contents 1 Qualifications and Experience ............................................................................................................. 1 2 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Scope of Evidence ................................................................................................................................ 2 3 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Planning Application ............................................................................................................................. 4 Statement of Common Ground ........................................................................................................... 7 4 Policy Context ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 8 National Planning Policy Framework .................................................................................................. 8 Planning Practice Guidance: Travel Plans, Transport Assessments and Statements in Decision- Taking .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Local Transport Plan 3 (“LTP3”) for Merseyside (2011 - 2026) ....................................................... 9 St Helens Core Strategy (October 2012) ......................................................................................... 10 St. Helens Supplementary Planning Documents ............................................................................. 11 St Helens Borough Local Plan Submission Draft January 2019 .................................................... 11 Highways England Guidance ............................................................................................................. 13 5 Site Location and Transport Characteristics .................................................................................... 15 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 15 Site Location and Surrounding Area................................................................................................. 15 Access to the Strategic Highway Network ....................................................................................... 17 Accessibility by Sustainable Modes of Transport ............................................................................ 21 Accessibility by Walking and Cycling ................................................................................................ 21 Accessibility by Cycling...................................................................................................................... 23 Haydock Point Public Inquiry vectos.co.uk iii Proposed Improvements to Cycling and Walking Infrastructure .................................................... 23 Accessibility by Bus ............................................................................................................................ 24 Accessibility by Rail ............................................................................................................................ 26 Public Transport Accessibility Assessment ...................................................................................... 28 6 Proposed Development ...................................................................................................................... 29 Development Proposals ..................................................................................................................... 29 Vehicle Access .................................................................................................................................... 29 Safeguarded Land .............................................................................................................................. 30 Car Parking ......................................................................................................................................... 31 Sustainable Transport ........................................................................................................................ 31 Travel Plan........................................................................................................................................... 33 7 Highway Impact Assessment ............................................................................................................. 35 Agreed Study Area ............................................................................................................................. 35 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 35 Access Junctions ................................................................................................................................ 36 M6 Junction 23 ................................................................................................................................... 36 Package of Highway Mitigation Works Benefits ............................................................................... 38 Haydock Racecourse ......................................................................................................................... 39 Local Highway Network in St Helens ................................................................................................ 40 Local Highway Network in Wigan ...................................................................................................... 40 8 M6 Junction 23 Improvement Scheme ............................................................................................. 43 9 Summary and Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 49 Haydock Point Public Inquiry vectos.co.uk iv Figures Figure 5.1 – Aerial Photograph of Existing Site Figure 5.2 – Site Location North West Motorway Context Figure 5.3 – Site Location and Strategic Freight Network Figure 5.4 – Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Figure 5.5 – LCWIP Prioritised Routes Figure 6.1 – Proposed Link Road Alignment Figure 8.1 – Northern A49 Arm – Alternative Diversion Appendices Appendix A – Letter from St Helens to Peel (5th March 2020) Appendix B – Highways England Consultation Response (14th July 2020) Appendix C – Wigan Council Response (21st January 2021) Appendix D – Technical Note Response to WBC Submission Appendix E – WSP Junction 23 Capacity Study Conclusions Haydock Point Public Inquiry vectos.co.uk 1 1 Qualifications and Experience 1.1 My name is Christopher Robert Hargreaves. I hold the position of Managing Director of Vectos (North) Limited a firm of transport planning specialists and I am also a Director of Vectos Infrastructure Limited, based at Oxford Place, 61 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 6EQ. I hold a First Class Bachelor of Engineering Honours Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Bradford and a Master of Science (Eng) Degree in Transport from Imperial College, London. I have practised in the field of Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering for twenty nine years and have specialised in the field of development traffic and transport planning for the past twenty seven years. 1.2 Prior to being involved in the launch of Vectos I was a Director of the transport consultancy Savell Bird & Axon, establishing a Manchester office for this practice in 2001. Before that I was employed by The Denis Wilson Partnership from 1994 to 2001, becoming a board Executive Director in 1999. I have held a Director position in transport planning consultancies specialising in development projects for the past 20 years. In that time, I have provided transportation advice on a wide range of development projects and given evidence at numerous public inquiries for a range of uses. This includes major employment proposals for example a call-in inquiry for a 1 million sqft business park in Tameside and a successful appeal against the refusal of two large B8 warehousing