Salhouse Parish Plan Highways Strategic Appraisal 2008 2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 2 VILLAGE DESCRIPTION 2 ISSUES ARISING FROM THE CONSULTATION PROCESS 3 Junctions and Danger Spots 3 Road Safety Assessment 5 Rationalisation of Speed Limits within the Parish 5 Pavements 8 Upgrading of an Existing Rural Footpath 9 Other Footpaths 9 Village Signs 9 Road Furniture Anomalies 10 CONCLUSION 10 ANNEXES A Map - Salhouse Parish B Map - Salhouse Village C Map - Salhouse Conservation Area D Map - Salhouse Village Amenities and Existing Speed Limits E Map - Salhouse Village - Junctions and Danger Spots F Report - Footpath 14 G Map - Salhouse Parish Rural Footpaths Disclaimer - Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate as at September 2007. © Copyright 2008, Salhouse Parish Council SALHOUSE PARISH PLAN VILLAGE DESCRIPTION HIGHWAYS STRATEGY APPRAISAL Road Structure INTRODUCTION Salhouse village (see Map at Annex B) is Background geographically divided with a quarter of the village located close to Salhouse Railway Station and the Salhouse Parish Council initiated the Parish Plan remainder separated by half a mile to the east, a process in February 2006. A Steering Group significant part of which is a Conservation Area consisting of 12 villagers, of whom 4 were Parish (see Map at Annex C). The population of the Councillors, commenced work in April 2006. village is approximately 1600 living in 650 households. There is a primary school for 150 Consultation children located in the heart of the village as well as the other village amenities. The consultation process began with the formation of 6 working groups, one of which specifically The B1140 HGV route, linking the east of the addressed matters under the heading Transport, county through to Rackheath Industrial Estate, Highways and Village Infrastructure. The and to the north, runs through the major part of consultation process lasted one year and consisted the village. The B1140 is also the prime sugar beet of an Awareness Day, a comprehensive household transportation route between north Norfolk and Questionnaire, consultation with external agencies the Cantley processing plant. and an Open Day to display the results of the Questionnaire, at which villagers were able to add Other significant roads within the village are the further comment. main Norwich Road leading to Rackheath and Honeycombe Road (C284) which currently carries In consulting with external agencies, meetings a considerable level of traffic from the A47 were held with Mr David Law (Traffic Management southern bypass, via the Plumsteads, to Wroxham Officer, Eastern Area HQ, Norfolk Constabulary) and onwards . Since the inception of the bypass and Mr Laurie Egan, (Network Manager, Planning the village has seen a substantial increase in & Transportation, Norfolk County Council (NCC)). through traffic. As a result of the latter meeting it was agreed that, as part of the Parish Plan process, a full Lower Street is a key village thoroughfare which, Strategic Appraisal of traffic and highways issues together with Thieves Lane (single track road), are in the Parish of Salhouse (see Map at Annex A) the main access routes to some 380 houses, the would be submitted to NCC. Primary School, the Jubilee Hall, shop/Post Office, the Bell Inn PH and some bus stops. Report Station Road, which is an extension of Muck Lane The Appraisal would be based on the results of all (Rackheath Parish) and links the A1151 with the consultation with the village and, primarily, Norwich Road, Salhouse, provides an access to the analysis of the household Questionnaire. In some 110 properties as well as Salhouse Industrial raising issues the Appraisal would seek to match Estate, the Charringtons ex coal yard and the remit of the Local Transport Plan in terms of Salhouse Railway Station. (See Annex D for a Map accessibility, environment, safety and the need to of the location of the village amenities). minimise congestion, as well as the Safer Travel to School initiative. In essence, by presenting these Other roads within the village are smaller, mainly matters in this format it is hoped that a more single track byways. cohesive and effective approach can be achieved in resolving them. Pavements The proposed solutions are designed to improve There are pavements along a number of the roads and protect the safety of villagers in their daily life in the village although the network is incomplete, while allowing appropriate access to amenities. In patchy and of variable quality. Primarily Cheyney particular, there was a unanimous desire to allow Estate, Mill Road (B1140) and Lower Street are children to either walk or cycle to and from school, provided for. The remainder of roads in the village which is currently virtually impossible from all have limited pavement, or none at all, and parts of the village; this is due to pavement/ pedestrians must revert to using the road, or rural footpath and traffic problems. It is also hoped that footpaths, to reach the amenities or other villagers, in general, might be able to walk or cycle locations in the Parish. Where pavements do exist, more, rather than continue to use the car as their in some cases they are also unsuitable for passage main form of transport, by mobility vehicles, wheelchairs or pushchairs. This Strategic Appraisal will be included in the formal Parish Plan Report, as an Annex, to ensure continuity in future discussions. 2 Bus and Train Services use this route almost continuously during operating hours, throughout the period October to The community is served by bus and train services March. This factor, together with a significant operating, between them, to Norwich and increase in through traffic from the A47 to Wroxham . The Railway Station is remote and not Wroxham, has, in the view of villagers, intensified easily accessible from the main part of the village the danger on this stretch. Not only is Mill Road a and some extremities of the village are distant pedestrian crossing area but a further housing from bus stops. development of some 20 houses is expected to be built on the site of the previous garage. This will ISSUES ARISING FROM THE result in additional traffic movement. CONSULTATION PROCESS Issues The issues arising from the consultation process Bell Corner is a busy junction which coincides with have been grouped under the following subject being on an ‘S’ bend where the road is quite headings: narrow. Two large vehicles are unable to pass at this point; this invariably results in one vehicle • Junctions and Danger Spots having to mount the pavement to effect passage. • Road Safety Assessment • Rationalisation of Speed Limits in the Parish The speed of oncoming vehicles as they approach Bell Corner from both directions (north and south) • Pavements is frequently in excess of that acceptable for the • Upgrading of an existing Rural Footpath problems the bend presents; this is particularly applicable in the case of motorcyclists. • Other Footpaths • Village Signs Exit from Lower Street is dangerous in that • Road Furniture Anomalies visibility particularly to the north, from where fast approaching vehicles emerge, is quite poor. Inevitably, there is a duplication of information where specific areas are revisited under different headings. JUNCTIONS AND DANGER SPOTS A map of the locations discussed below can be seen at Annex E. Junction - Bell Lane/Mill Road B1140 (Bell Exit from Hall Drive is equally dangerous in that its Corner) proximity to the blind bend to the south offers no opportunity to turn right with safety. Situation Proposals The junction of Lower Street with Mill Road/Bell Lane (B1140) as well as that of Hall Drive was the Reduction in volume of traffic and HGVs - major ‘danger spot’ registered in the Parish Plan. Proposed Northern Distributoe Route (NDR) This section of road has a narrow, sharp ‘S’ bend on which the junctions are located, together with Over half of the respondents to the Parish Plan the crossing of the rural footpath route which links questionnaire indicated an acceptance in principle Salhouse Railway Station, Station Road and the to the proposed NDR. However, this acceptance larger part of the village where the Primary School was conditional on Salhouse reaping a benefit in is located. This footpath is also popular with terms of the removal of the HGV route and the tourists and Bell Corner itself is situated in the overall reduction in traffic transiting the village. Conservation Area. • The need to address surrounding road In 1995 this road was reclassified from a C grade infrastructure , in the event that the NDR is to B grade and designated as a HGV route, built , is essential. The feasibility of rerouting primarily for HGV’s operating between Rackheath HGVs to remain on the southern bypass and to Industrial Estate and the east of the county. This link with the NDR, whether to Rackheath decision was made despite considerable opposition Industrial Estate or other destinations, and vice by the village and is a continuing source of versa, should be examined as an alternative to concern. The road is also a regularly used route the present situation. This proposal should also for sugar beet lorries between areas to the north apply to sugar beet lorries unless they are of Wroxham and the Cantley processing plant. directly accessing local loading points on the Such vehicles are now up to 44 tons in size and B1140. 3 This proposal could represent a more used as a bypass around the north east of environmentally efficient route in terms of Norwich. economy and emissions. It could also remove the dangers of all such vehicles passing through Issues not only this village, but Panxworth and the southern part of Wroxham, as well as the • Vehicles entering and exiting the Norwich road interlinking country roads.