November 2011 DRAFT TAMWORTH BOROUGH INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY 2011 - 2026 District Profile: Tamworth Borough is located 18 miles from the West Midlands conurbation. It has a compact urban form with a population of approximately 76,000. Despite good levels of employment there are still pockets of deprivation, especially in Glascote, Amington, Belgrave and Stoneydelph. Tourism and retail play an important role in the Borough’s economy. Visitor attractions include a Norman Castle, Snowdome, Ventura Park retail development, as well as Drayton Manor Park which is located adjacent to the Borough boundary. Tamworth has good connections to the national transport network. The A5(T) provides links to Cannock, Nuneaton, the M42 and the M6 Toll. The A51, A513 and A4091 local routes also run north-south through the Borough. It is estimated that 50% of the working population out-commute each day to work and 69% of employed residents drive to work. Around 6% travel by bus which is higher than most other Districts in Staffordshire and walk and cycling levels are similar to national averages. Tamworth is well served by a local bus network and has hourly or more frequent daytime bus services to Lichfield and the West Midlands conurbation. These bus services are supported by the Tamworth Community Transport scheme which provides transport by mini bus and car for local residents. Tamworth rail station is located in close proximity to the town centre, whilst Wilnecote station is to the south of the town centre near Two Gates. Both stations are located on the Cross Country line between Birmingham / Tamworth / Burton upon Trent whilst Tamworth station is also located on the West Coast Mainline. There is significant passenger and freight demand along both corridors, although there is no dedicated local service on the Cross Country line so demand is catered for by less frequent stops of longer distance services. The rail industry has plans to improve capacity on the Cross Country line to help cater for existing and future passenger demand. Tamworth Borough Council’s current Draft Core Strategy, which forms part of their Local Development Framework, indicates that around 3,000 new homes will be delivered between 2006 and 2026, of which approximately 850 have already been completed. A minimum of 900 dwellings are proposed as a sustainable urban extension to the north-east of the town centre in the Anker Valley. The remainder will be provided within the existing urban area. 42 hectares of new employment land is also proposed on new sites and as part of the redevelopment of existing employment areas. Sites are located at Bitterscote North and South (approximately 16 hectares near Ventura Park), land near junction 10 of the M42 and land at the Amington and Tame Valley employment areas. In the town centre, a mixed use of developments complementing Ventura Park will be encouraged. The Gungate and Middle Entry sites have been identified as strategic allocations for new retail development. Other town centre uses such as housing, leisure and employment will also be supported, providing that the vitality and viability of the primary shopping area is not undermined. Transport Achievements: The main transport achievements in Tamworth relate to meeting Local Transport Plan targets to reduce all road casualties through education, enforcement and engineering measures. A number of local safety schemes that reduce vehicle conflict and help manage capacity have been completed, including roundabout improvements at the A51 Lichfield Road/B5493 Lichfield Street and B5404 Watling Street/B5400 Marlborough Way junctions. Vehicle speeds and safety have also been addressed on the A453 Sutton Road. Improvements to the local cycle network have enhanced safety and accessibility to local facilities and schools. As part of the County Council’s pledge to introduce part-time 20 mph speed limits outside every school situated on an A or B road in the county, pilot schemes have been successfully implemented at eight schools in Tamworth. Additional car parking capacity has been provided at Tamworth rail station to supply approximately 300 spaces encouraging increased patronage and promoting sustainable commuting. In terms of bus travel, in excess of 90% of residents in the Borough now live within 350m of a bus stop with a better than half-hourly weekday service and many bus stops now comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. Staffordshire County Council is also the national leader in discretionary travel allowance. A new travel scheme, adopted in April 2011, allows free 24/7 bus transport to people of pensionable age or with a disability, plus their carer, and under 20s can travel anywhere within Staffordshire for just £1 per journey. Transport Challenges and Opportunities: It is expected that there will be a significant reduction in the amount of public money available for transport in the future. With this in mind, a key priority going forward in the next three years, and in the longer term up to 2026, is to make the best use of the existing highway network by focusing on maintaining its condition and ensuring that we continue to reduce road casualties. Transport improvements funded through both public and private sector funding streams will also focus on encouraging commuting by public transport rather than car and supporting the Borough Council’s plans to regenerate the town centre and accommodate proposed housing development in the Anker Valley. The Ventura Park to Town Centre Local Transport Package has been developed to compliment Tamworth Borough Council’s Town Centre Masterplan. The Masterplan establishes a long term regeneration strategy for the town, identifying potential opportunity sites. It supports the need to improve walking, cycling and public transport links between key attractions and the town centre, and manage the highway network to reduce congestion. The first phase of delivery will focus on implementing new traffic signals, pedestrian facilities and improved public transport links funded using a combination of public and private sector monies. Further phased measures will be delivered as resources permit. In the short term, delivery of the Anker Valley Local Transport Package will focus on linking traffic signals in the Aldergate / Upper Gungate corridor in order to improve journey time reliability and reduce vehicle delays, and accommodating development of a new Post 16 Academy building at Queen Elizabeth’s Mercian School. Facilities at the Academy will include walking and cycling links and vehicular access, accompanied by a comprehensive School Travel Plan. Longer term development traffic in the Anker Valley will be accommodated through capacity improvements at the A513/B5493 Fountains junction, sustainable transport provision and further car parking capacity and access improvements at Tamworth rail station. The provision of both the Anker Valley and Amington Link Roads will also be considered in any Transport Assessment produced by potential developers of the Anker Valley site. Road injury accident data will be continually monitored and analysed across the highway network. Locations will be identified where consistent accident patterns occur that might be prevented through remedial engineering works. These locations will be investigated in depth to identify the underlying causes of the problems and measures will be implemented if appropriate and justifiable. Local safety schemes such as junction modifications and signing improvements tend to represent good value for money, offering high first year rates of return. The Divisional Highway Programme for Tamworth Borough gives County Councillors the opportunity to directly input into delivery programmes. Councillors work closely with Community Highway Managers, Parish Councils and other stakeholders to ensure local concerns and challenges are identified and priorities are established, taking into account financial constraints. The Divisional Highway Programme is reviewed twice a year and gives an overview of highway and transport concerns within the local area, such as vehicle speeds, pedestrian safety and on-street parking. They are incorporated within the Integrated Transport Strategy if they require capital funding and are proven to meet strategic objectives. Other lower cost road safety and traffic management measures in the Divisional Highway Programme, delivered using revenue resources, will not be specified in this Strategy. KEY COMMUNITY ISSUES Pedestrian safety Frequency of bus services Safety outside schools Vehicle speeds and road safety On-street parking problems KEY STRATEGIC ISSUES Accommodate development at Anker Valley Manage congestion, particularly at Ventura Park Support investment in the town centre that complements Ventura Park Improve public transport provision to the West Midlands Support A5(T) junction capacity and safety improvements Encourage sustainable travel DRAFT TAMWORTH BOROUGH INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY 2011 TO 2026 CHALLENGES PROJECTS THAT WILL ACHIEVE OUTCOMES JUSTIFICATION / VALUE FOR MONEY / FUNDING / DELIVERY COUNTYWIDE INITIATIVES All initiatives are expected to be funded by County Council capital and revenue NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL funds as resources permit. NEIGHBOURHOODS 20mph zones and Speed Limit Review Areas targeted for delivery will be influenced by community consultation and Parking and loading enforcement through Clear Streets data that identifies need. Maintain current condition and Driver training and road safety education and training