AGENDA ITEM 10 Report to Cabinet Forward Plan reference number: FP/127/05/15 Date of Meeting: 20 October 2015 County Divisions affected by the decision: All divisions within Basildon, Castle Point and Rochford Districts Title of report: South East LEP Local Growth Fund Transport schemes– A127 Road Safety and Network Resilience Package Report by: Cllr Rodney Bass, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation Responsible Director: Paul Bird – Director for Commissioning: Transport and Infrastructure Enquiries to: Alastair Southgate, Transportation Strategy Manager, Place Commissioning (Transport and Infrastructure) Tel: 03330 130561 Email: [email protected] 1. Purpose of report 1.1 Essex County Council (the Council) has bid for funding for a number of transport schemes. The bids were approved by Cabinet and the schemes were included in the Council’s Local Transport Plan (2015 – 2021): Strategy and Priority Projects for Stimulating Economic Growth and subsequently included within the SELEP Strategic Economic Plan programme and within the Capital Programme for delivery. 1.2 The South East LEP and the Department for Transport have agreed to part fund a number of schemes. That funding has already been included in the Capital Programme as part of the 2015-16 budget approval process. 1.3 This report seeks approval to proceed with the A127 Road Safety and Network Resilience Package (the A127 Package) on the basis set out in this report. 2. Recommendations 2.1. To authorise the Director for Commissioning: Transport and Infrastructure to implement the A127 Road Safety and Network Resilience Package already included in the Council’s capital programme for 2015/16 and subsequent years with a total existing budget of £8.0m (this total includes £114,000 which was spent in 2014-15) 2.2 To authorise re-profiling of existing S106 contributions, and the addition to the capital programme of new S106 funding as follows: Additional £250,000 S106 contribution received from Oakwood Grange Additional £13,000 in accrued interest making the total scheme value of £8.263m (£114,000 has already been spent in 2014-15 leaving a current programme value of £8.149m) 2.3 To authorise the Council to enter into a funding agreement with the South East Local Enterprise Partnership or its representative, if required. , releasing £4m Local Growth Fund for the A127 Road Safety and Network Resilience Package 2.4 To authorise the Director for Commissioning to procure contracts for the implementation of the scheme using appropriate framework agreements or the Council’s existing contract with Ringway Jacobs. 3. Background and proposal 3.1. In February 2014 Cabinet agreed to the adoption of the Local Transport Plan (2015 – 2021): Strategy and Priority Projects for Stimulating Economic Growth which includes a list of priority transport projects. This priority list of transport projects formed the Essex County Council submission to the SELEP for inclusion within its Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) programme. 3.2. The SELEP Growth Deal was agreed with Government in July 2014 to deliver the economic growth aspirations contained with the SEP. The Growth Deal includes a commitment by the Council to deliver an agreed programme of growth related transport projects between 2015/16 and 2020/21 in return for a commitment from Government to make available Local Growth Fund (LGF) capital funding to part fund the delivery of these projects. 3.3. Council funds have been included in the capital programme as part of the 2015/16 budget, for the delivery of this programme. 3.4. Funding for all projects on the A127 was retained by the Department for Transport and excluded from the letter confirming the award to SELEP of LGF sent by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to SELEP on 6th February 2015. It was expected that this funding would be released following the submission of a business case to DfT. The DfT has now agreed that funding previously retained by DfT for this project will follow a local approval route and will be released to SELEP following the approval of the business case by SELEP. This funding is additional to the allocation £57.2m LGF to schemes promoted by the Council and confirmed in the Award Letter. A letter confirming this allocation is attached at Appendix 1. 3.5. The release of LGF to fund the second tranche of SELEP Growth Deal projects was approved by the SELEP shadow Accountability Board on 19th July 2015. This approval included LGF allocations to the project named within this report. 3.6. The profile agreed at that time was as set out below. Note that this has now been superseded because there is a further £250,000 S106 contribution and a revised profile is set out in the table at section 5.1. Received 2015-16 2016-17 & Total 2014-15 Future Scheme Years Approval £’000 £’000 £’000 Council 3,000 3,000 Contribution LGF Grant 600 3,400 4,000 Third party (S106) 200 800 1,000 Total 200 600 7,200 8,000 Details of the Schemes 3.7. The A127 corridor is a vitally important primary route for the South Essex area which connects the M25, Basildon and Southend (including London Southend Airport). At peak periods, the A127 carries traffic volumes which exceed those on many urban motorways elsewhere in the UK. The route is heavily congested, especially during peak periods, when the road is extremely sensitive to incidents and collisions resulting in unreliable journeys. Realising much of the proposed growth in the area depends upon addressing the significant reliability and capacity issues within the A127 corridor. 3.8. The A127 Capacity Improvements and Network Resilience Package, includes the following components: A127 / A132 Nevendon interchange – capacity improvements to a grade separated junction. A127 / A129 Rayleigh Weir interchange – signals upgrade. A127 / B186 Warley interchange – installation of signals on slip roads and widening of slip roads where necessary. A127 Signing improvements. 3.9. Construction of this package will support housing and job growth by making best use of the existing highway network to reduce congestion at key pinch- points on the network, improve resilience of the corridor, and improve journey time reliability. The package also complements the planned improvements at A127 / A130 Fairglen interchange and junction improvements in Southend at Kent Elms and The Bell and the Southend strategic maintenance package. 3.10. A full description of the A127 Capacity Improvements and Network Resilience Package is attached at appendix 2. 3.11. The A127 Package will proceed to a full design stage and whilst communication strategies are in place for each activity ensuring that stakeholders, local residents and commuters are fully aware of the proposals and how it will affect them during the construction, the Director for Commissioning: Transport and Infrastructure will continue to monitor the impact of the scheme. Appropriate consultation will be undertaken where necessary. Where there is no long term impact then information will be provided to local residents through local newspapers and on site. 3.12. Where a component of the package is the subject of consultation any objections which cannot be resolved will be referred to the Cabinet Member for consideration before a commitment is granted to the scheme. 4. Policy context and Outcomes Framework 4.1. The proposal links strongly with the County Council’s Corporate Plan A Vision for Essex 2013-2017, specifically supporting the aims to ‘develop and maintain the infrastructure that enables our residents to travel and our businesses to grow’ and ‘support employment and entrepreneurship across our economy’. 4.2. The Corporate Outcomes Framework 2014-2018 sets out the seven high level outcomes that we want to achieve to ensure prosperity and wellbeing for our residents. Securing these outcomes will make Essex a more prosperous county; one where people can flourish, live well and achieve their ambitions. 4.3. The seven outcomes are listed below: Children in Essex get the best start in life People in Essex enjoy good health and wellbeing People have aspirations and achieve their ambitions through education, training and lifelong-learning People in Essex live in safe communities and are protected from harm Sustainable economic growth for Essex communities and businesses People in Essex experience a high quality and sustainable environment People in Essex can live independently and exercise control over their lives 4.4. The proposal in this report is consistent with our principles and fully supports the achievement of our outcomes. Delivery of the SELEP SEP programme will; Drive economic growth in Essex, widening access to employment and improving the competitiveness of the Essex economy, driving sustainable economic growth for Essex communities and businesses. Provide safe and sustainable transport for many people living within Essex enabling access to education, training and health services and supporting independent living. Fully supports the Draft Economic Plan for Essex (EPfE) delivering economic growth along the A12 and Great Eastern Mainline, M11 and West Anglia mainline, A127 London-Basildon-Southend and A13 London- Thurrock-Canvey Island, and A120 Haven Gateway Growth Corridors. 4.5. The proposal supports the delivery of the Essex Local Transport Plan vision for a transport system that supports sustainable economic growth and helps deliver the best quality of life for the residents of Essex by providing connectivity for Essex communities and international gateways to support sustainable economic growth and regeneration. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. This scheme is funded from multiple sources as identified below: A Council funding contribution of £3.0m towards scheme construction costs has been included in the Capital Programme for 2016/17 and profiled over subsequent years. SELEP grant funding of £4.0m has already been approved and accepted by the Council. Each grant award has been ringfenced by SELEP against the delivery of each of the specific projects.