Public Attleborough Town Centre Transport Study Final Report October 2013 Attleborough Town Centre Public Transport Study Contents October 2013 Contents 1. Executive Summary 1 2. Introduction 2 2.1 Context 2 2.2 Aims and Objectives 2 2.3 Study Area 2 2.4 Study Brief 3 2.5 Links with Other Studies 4 3. Data Collection 5 3.1 Background 5 3.2 Pre-existing Traffic Data 5 3.3 Additional Survey Data 9 4. Baseline Conditions 12 4.1 Overview 12 4.2 Character of the Study Area 12 4.3 Active Travel (Walking and Cycling) 18 4.4 School Travel 23 4.5 Public Transport 23 4.6 Parking 26 4.7 Base Traffic Conditions 32 4.8 Attleborough Level Crossing 36 4.9 Accident Analysis 38 4.10 Constraints 40 5. Planning Policy Framework and Consultation 42 5.1 Present Transport Policies 42 5.2 Present Problems on the Transport System 44 6. Base Model Development, Calibration and Validation 46 6.1 Introduction 46 6.2 Model Development Overview 46 6.3 S-Paramics Micro Simulation Modelling Software Overview 47 6.4 Data Collection 49 6.5 Base Network Development 49 6.6 Base Matrix Development 52 6.7 Trip Matrix Calibration and Model Validation 55 7. Strategy Overview 59 7.1 Future Conditions 59 7.2 Strategy Development 59 7.3 Specification of Options 61 8. Future Year Forecasting 63 8.1 Introduction 63 8.2 Development Proposals 63 8.3 Phasing of Development 64 8.4 Future Year Network Development 64 8.5 Future Year Matrix Development 66 8.6 Town Centre Modelling 69 i Attleborough Town Centre Public Transport Study Contents October 2013 8.7 Stage 1 Outputs and Appraisals 70 8.8 Stage 2 Outputs and Appraisals 74 8.9 Stage 3 Outputs and Appraisals 78 8.10 Do-Nothing Network Junction Assessments 79 8.11 Do-Minimum Network - Junction Assessments 81 8.12 Do Something with Town Centre Improvements Network (No Link Road) Junction Assessments 83 8.13 Town Centre Improvements – With Link Road Option 1/2 89 8.14 Town Centre Improvements – With Link Road Option 3 94 9. Town Centre Transport Strategy 101 9.1 Introduction 101 9.2 Walking and Cycling Strategy 101 9.3 Public Transport Strategy 104 9.4 Parking Strategy 107 9.5 Local Highways Strategy 109 10. Recommended Strategy 119 10.1 Overview 119 10.2 Highway Network Infrastructure 119 10.3 Demand Management Measures and Smarter Choices 120 10.4 Objectives Based Appraisal 120 10.5 Funding Opportunities 121 10.6 Implementation Plan 121 10.7 Phasing 122 10.8 Scheme Costing 122 Figures Figure 2.1 – Study Area Location Plan 3 Figure 2.2 – Interactions Between the Three Transport Studies 4 Figure 3.1 – A11 Widening POPE Journey Time Survey Routes 8 Figure 3.2 – Capita Symonds ANPR Survey Locations 10 Figure 4.1 - Pelican crossing adjacent to the Post Office on High Street 19 Figure 4.2 - Pelican crossings on both Church Street and Norwich Road outside the High School 20 Figure 4.3 - Uncontrolled Crossing Points Located on Pedestrian Build outs with Associated Bollards 20 Figure 4.4 - Pedestrian Islands Located at the Junction of Exchange Street / Queen’s Road / Church Street 21 Figure 4.5 - Narrow Pedestrian Footways on both Church Street and Surrogate Street 21 Figure 4.6 - Cycle Lanes and Parking within Attleborough 22 Figure 4.7 – Attleborough Rail Station 24 Figure 4.8 – Existing Bus Stop Locations and Bus Service Route 25 Figure 4.9 – Church Street Bus Stop and Shelter 25 Figure 4.10 - Total Number of Available Parking Spaces in Public Car Parks 28 Figure 4.11 - Total Availability of Parking Spaces - Private Car Parks 29 Figure 4.12 – Town Centre One-Way System 32 ii Attleborough Town Centre Public Transport Study Contents October 2013 Figure 4.13 – Profile of Traffic Flows on B1077 Connaught Road Westbound (One-Way) 34 Figure 4.14 – Location of Junction Congestion in Attleborough Town Centre 35 Figure 4.15 – A11 Junctions for Access to Attleborough 35 Figure 4.16 – Highways Agency A11 Widening POPE Assessment Traffic Flows 36 Figure 4.17 – Attleborough Level Crossing before Upgrade 37 Figure 4.18 - Constraints Imposed by Existing Built Form (left) and Current On-street Parking Provision (right). 40 Figure 4.19 - Attleborough War Memorial (left) and Loading/Unloading activity within the town centre, opposite the main bus stop facility (right). 41 Figure 6.1 - Attleborough Paramics Model Study Area 47 Figure 6.2 – Proposed Paramics Network Structure 50 Figure 6.3 Overview of Network Model Development 51 Figure 6.4 – Overview of Model Matrix Development 53 Figure 9.1 - UEA Proposal for Revised Parking Layout at Queen’s Square Car Park 108 Figure 9.2 - Connaught Road / Exchange Street / High Street Junction – Existing Layout 111 Figure 9.3 - Surrogate Street / Thieves Lane / Connaught Road Junction – Existing Layout 113 Figure 9.4 – Surrogate Street / Norwich Road / Church Street Junction – Existing Layout 116 Tables Table 3.1 – Existing Link Count Data 5 Table 3.2 – Existing Turning Count Data 6 Table 3.3 – Bidwells ANPR Survey Data 6 Table 3.4 – ANPR Registration Plate Matching Results 7 Table 3.5 – Existing Journey Time Surveys Data 7 Table 3.6 – London Road Residential Development Transport Assessment 9 Table 3.7 – Level Crossing Survey Data 11 Table 4.1 - Access to a Car or Van (2011 Census) 12 Table 4.2 - Access to a Car or Van, Comparison of 2001 and 2011 Census Data 13 Table 4.3 – Method of Travel to Work (2011 Census) 13 Table 4.4 – Comparison of 2001 and 2011 Census Travel to Work Statistics 14 Table 4.5 – Economic Activity (2011 Census) 15 Table 4.6 – Comparison of 2001 and 2011 Economic Activity Statistics 16 Table 4.7 - Comparison of 2001 and 2011 Accommodation Type Statistics (Households) 17 Table 4.8 - Comparison of 2001 and 2011 Accommodation Type Statistics (People) 17 Table 4.9 – Pedestrian Count Summary at High Street / Connaught Road 22 Table 4.10 – Attleborough Car Park Provision 26 iii Attleborough Town Centre Public Transport Study Contents October 2013 Table 4.11 - Total Number of Available Parking Spaces in Public Car Parks 27 Table 4.12 - Total Number of Available Parking Spaces in Public Car Parks 28 Table 4.13 – Private Car Park Availability 29 Table 4.14 - Availability of Parking Spaces - On Street Parking 30 Table 4.15 – Summary of Highways Agency 2012 ATC Link Count Data 33 Table 4.16 – Manually Operated Level Crossing Statistics 37 Table 4.17 – Comparison of Manually and Automatic Operated Level Crossing 37 Table 4.18 – Average Time Barrier is down when Two Trains Pass 38 Table 4.19 - Summary of Reported Injury Accidents - Attleborough Town Centre 38 Table 4.20 - Reported Road Casualties by Severity - Attleborough Town Centre 38 Table 6.1 - Proposed Base Model Zones 54 Table 6.2 – Link Flow and Turning Movement Validation Criteria and Acceptability Guidelines from TAG Unit 3.19 56 Table 6.3 – Model Calibration Summary Results 56 Table 6.4 - Journey Time Validation Criterion and Acceptability Guidelines from TAG Unit 3.19 56 Table 6.5 – Journey Time Variability 57 Table 6.6 – Journey Time Validation Results 57 Table 7.1 – Transport Priorities for Attleborough Identified in Initial Research 60 Table 7.2 – Infrastructure Scheme Options for Model Testing 60 Table 8.1 - Future Employment Mix in Attleborough 63 Table 8.2 – Future Employment Mix at Snetterton Heath 64 Table 8.3 – Adopted Development Assumptions 64 Table 8.4 - Future Year Additional Zones 68 Table 8.5 – Land Use Proposals for Local Plan sites by Zone 69 Table 8.6 – Total Distance Travelled (Central Growth Traffic Models) 71 Table 8.7 – Average Journey Time for the Central Growth Traffic Models 72 Table 8.8 – Average Vehicle Speeds for Central Growth Traffic Models 73 Table 8.9 – Total Distance Travelled for the Low Growth Traffic Models 75 Table 8.10 – Average Journey Time for the Stage 2 Low Growth Traffic Models 76 Table 8.11- Average Vehicle Speeds for Stage 2 Low Growth Traffic Models 77 Table 8.12 – Do-Nothing Am Peak Forecast RFC Values 79 Table 8.13 – Do-Nothing Pm Peak Forecast RFC Values 80 Table 8.14 – 2012 Base Year Am and Pm Peak Forecast RFC Values 80 Table 8.15 – Forecast Degree of Saturation for the junction of Exchange Street / Connaught Road / High Street 80 Table 8.16 – Do-Minimum Am Peak Forecast RFC Values 82 Table 8.17 – Do-Minimum Pm Peak Forecast RFC Values 82 Table 8.18 – Forecast Degree of Saturation for Junction 1:Exchange Street / Connaught Road 83 Table 8.19 - Forecast RFC Am Peak for Priority Junctions 84 Table 8.20 – Forecast RFC Pm Peak for Priority Junctions 84 Table 8.21 – Forecast RFC for both peak periods at the junction of Queens Road / Church Street / Exchange Street 85 iv Attleborough Town Centre Public Transport Study Contents October 2013 Table 8.22 - Forecast RFC Am Peak for Roundabout Junctions 85 Table 8.23 - Forecast RFC Pm Peak for Roundabout Junctions 86 Table 8.24 - Forecast Degree of Saturation for Am Peak for the Junction of Norwich Road / Besthorpe Road / Surrogate Street / Church Street 86 Table 8.25 - Forecast Degree of Saturation for Am Peak for the Junction of Surrogate Street / Thieves Lane / Station Road / Connaught Road 87 Table 8.26 - Forecast Degree of Saturation for Pm Peak for the Junction of Norwich Road / Besthorpe Road / Surrogate Street / Church Street 87 Table 8.27 - Forecast Degree of Saturation for Pm Peak for the Junction of Surrogate Street / Thieves Lane / Station Road / Connaught Road 87 Table 8.28 - Forecast Degree of Saturation for Peak Periods for Signalised Junction of Exchange Street / Connaught Road / High Street 88 Table 8.29 - Forecast RFC Am Peak for Priority Junctions 89 Table 8.30 – Forecast RFC Pm Peak for Priority Junctions 89 Table 8.31 – Forecast