Number: WG19741 Welsh Government draft Plan Consultation Document M4 Corridor around Newport Date of issue: 23 September 2013 Responses by: 16 December 2013 Contents Glossary 1 7 Appraisal 29 Overview 3 7.1 Appraisal Summary Tables (ASTs) 29 How to respond and further information 5 7.2 draft Plan (Preferred Strategy) 30 Data protection 6 7.3 Reasonable Alternatives to the draft Plan 37 Public drop-in exhibitions 6 7.4 Do Minimum scenario 48 1 Background 7 7.5 Comparative Performance 53 2 Consequences of Doing Nothing 9 8 Next steps 55 2.1 Capacity 9 2.2 Resilience 13 2.3 Safety 13 2.4 Sustainable development 14 3 Problems, Aims and Goals of the M4 Corridor 15 around Newport 3.1 Relationship to M4 CEM Programme 15 3.2 Problems on the M4 Corridor around 15 Newport 3.3 Aims for the M4 Corridor around Newport 16 3.4 Goals of the M4 Corridor around Newport 17 4 Previous Work 18 5 The draft Plan 22 5.1 The draft Plan (Preferred Strategy) 22 5.2 Reasonable Alternatives to the draft Plan 23 5.3 Do Minimum Scenario 25 6 Assessments of the draft Plan 26 Contents (continued) Tables Figures Table 1: draft Plan Complementary Measures 3 Figure 1: The Location of the M4 around Newport 8 Table 2: Drop-in Exhibitions 6 Figure 2: Observed and Forecast Week Day 9 Table 3: draft Plan Complementary Measures 23 Period Flow to Capacity Table 4: Red Route Complementary Measures 24 Figure 3: Average 12-Hour Traffic Volumes 10 Table 5: Complementary Measures 25 Figure 4: M4 Junction J26-27 - Traffic Growth 10 Table 6: Assessment of the draft Plan – Black 30 Index Route and its Complementary Measures - against Figure 5: Observed and Forecast Traffic Growth 11 WelTAG Criteria and Goals of the M4 Corridor Figure 6: Average Speed on M4 J27-26 11 around Newport (TPOs) Figure 7: Average Weekday Traffic Flows through 12 Table 7: Assessment of the Reasonable 37 Brynglas Tunnels (March) Alternative to the draft Plan - Red Route and its Figure 8: Estimated the proportion of short, 12 Complementary Measures - against WelTAG medium and long distance journeys on the M4 Criteria and Goals of the M4 Corridor around around Newport Newport (TPOs) Figure 9: History of the M4 Corridor around 18 Table 8: Assessment of the Reasonable 43 Newport Alternative to the draft Plan - Purple Route and Figure 10: Black, Red and Purple Route shown 27 its Complementary Measures - against WelTAG within the local study area and main constraints Criteria and Goals of the M4 Corridor around around Newport Newport (TPOs) Table 9: Assessment of the Do Minimum scenario 48 against WelTAG Criteria and Goals of the M4 Corridor around Newport (TPOs) Table 10: Comparative Performance against 53 WelTAG Criteria Table 11: Comparative Performance against the 54 goals of the M4 Corridor around Newport 1 Glossary AQMAs Air Quality Management Areas. Since 1997 local EU Directive An EU directive is a legislative act of the European Union, authorities in the UK have been carrying out a review and which requires member states to achieve the directive assessment of air quality in their area. The aim of the without dictating the means of how to achieve that result. review is to assist authorities in carrying out their statutory HIA Health Impact Assessment. A process that considers how duty to work towards meeting the national air quality the health and well-being of a population may be affected objectives. If a local authority finds any places where the by a proposed action, be it a policy, programme, plan or a objectives are not likely to be achieved, it must declare an change to the organisation or delivery of a particular public Air Quality Management Area there. service. CBI The Confederation of British Industry. A UK business HRA Habitats Regulations Assessment. A process that lobbying organisation, providing a voice for employers at a considers the potential effects of plans and programmes national and international level. on European Sites (protected habitats). DfT Department for Transport. It works to support the UK LDP Local Development Plan. The required statutory transport network and plans and invests in transport development plan for each local planning authority area in infrastructure. Wales. This includes a vision, strategy, area wide policies Do Minimum This is a scenario (sequence of future events) where for development types, land allocations, and where intervention includes doing nothing above what is necessary policies and proposals for key areas of change already planned or committed. In this case, it includes all and protection. recent network modifications (such as the Junction 24 LNR Local Nature Reserves. A local site of importance for improvement, the Variable Speed Limit system and the wildlife, geology, education or public enjoyment. Steelworks Access Road) and any committed schemes M4 CEM M4 Corridor Enhancement Measures. A Welsh (such as the Junction 28/Bassaleg Roundabout/Pont Government initiative set up to explore and resolve issues Ebbw Roundabout improvement. of capacity, safety and resilience along the M4 corridor in draft Plan This is the Welsh Government’s preferred strategy to south-east Wales. solve transport related problems affecting the M4 Corridor NAPPAs Noise Action Planning Priority Areas. Noise maps and around Newport in South Wales. If implemented, the associated plans are managed by the Welsh Government draft Plan would lead to a new motorway (Black Route) and local authorities to find where noise levels are high being built to the south of Newport, alongside some and help create noise action plans to address the issue. complementary highway management, walking and Newport The Urban Regeneration Company for Newport, working cycling initiatives. Assessments of the draft Plan compare Unlimited with public and private sectors to deliver physical change it to reasonable alternatives, as well as the Do Minimum and support the economy of Newport. scenario. EqIA Equality Impact Assessment. A way of examining and analysing services, policies and strategies that identify existing and potential impacts on certain groups of people, and sometimes individuals. Reasonable These are reasonable alternatives to the draft Plan, SPA Special Protection Area. Strictly protected sites at a alternatives being other options that the Welsh Government consider European level, classified for rare and vulnerable birds could solve transport related problems affecting the M4 and for regularly occurring migratory species. Corridor around Newport in South Wales. If implemented, SSSI Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Legally protected sites the reasonable alternatives would lead to either a new for wildlife and geology conservation. dual carriageway (Red Route) being built to the south of A strategy, plan or programme sets out broad objectives, Newport, or a motorway solution along a similar alignment Strategy, Plan identifies measures to achieve these and proposes a (Purple Route) alongside some complementary highway or Programme typically broad package of interventions to achieve the management, walking and cycling initiatives. objectives. The appropriate level of appraisal is also SAC Special Area of Conservation. Strictly protected sites broad, and at a strategy level, it may only be possible to with listed habitat types and species that are considered undertake appraisal qualitatively1. to be most in need of conservation at a European level South Wales Area Traffic Study. (excluding birds). SWATS TEMPRO Trip End Model Presentation Program. Software used for SAM Scheduled Ancient Monument. A registered monument transport planning purposes. considered to be of national importance by the Welsh Government. TEN-T Trans-European Transport Network. Scheme / For individual schemes or projects, the appropriate level TPOs Transport Planning Objectives. Project of appraisal is more detailed, quantitative and evidence- TR111 Notice Once a preferred route of a transport scheme is based1. announced, the Welsh Government serves a statutory SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment. A process TR111 notice on the local planning authorities requiring that provides for the high level protection of the the line to be protected from development. environment, by ensuring the integration of environmental UDP Unitary Development Plan. It sets out a range of policies considerations into the preparation of plans and and proposals relating to future development, and deals programmes and to contribute to the promotion of with the use and conservation of land and buildings within sustainable development and environmental protection. local planning authorities. All UDPs are to be replaced by SEWTA The South East Wales Transport Alliance is a consortium a Local Development Plan (LDP). of 10 local authorities which prepares and co-ordinates WelTAG Welsh Transport Planning and Appraisal Guidance is a regional transport policies, plans and programmes on transport appraisal tool applicable to transport projects, behalf of its constituent councils. plans and programmes in Wales. The Welsh Government SDR Southern Distributor Road. In this case, the A48 Southern requires that major transport initiatives seeking Distributor Road, Newport. government funding are appraised with this guidance. WHIASU Wales Health Impact Assessment Support Unit. 1 Source: Welsh Transport Planning and Appraisal Guidance (WelTAG), June 2008. 2 3 Overview Building on the extensive development and consultation work undertaken on M4 Corridor Enhancement Measures (CEM), Transport and access to services, homes, work and leisure are we will