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The Strategy
A69 (Newcastle to Carlisle)
The Strategy
Introduction
A Route Management Strategy (RMS) is a technique developed by the Highways Agency to provide a framework for managing individual trunk routes as part of wider transport networks. Route Management Strategies will interlock with local transport strategies (set out in Local Transport Plans) within the context established by Regional Planning Guidance. The RMS process has been developed in order to:
- Assist the Highways Agency in planning and optimising investment in the trunk road/motorway network, (across different budget headings), and in the delivery of Highways Agency's strategic plans and ten year transport strategy.
- Provide consistency, transparency, openness and integration, particularly with other transport related strategies, including local and regional transport plans.
- Enable the Highways Agency to provide an input into these strategies and plans.
- Maximize customer focus.
- Improve forward planning over a 10-year horizon.
Parsons Brinckerhoff Limited, are the consultants who are responsible delivering the A69 Route Management Strategy on behalf of the Highways Agency.
Route Functions and Objectives
Route Functions
The A69 strategic, regional and local route functions are set out below:
Strategic Functions
- Forms part of the Trans European Road Network.
- Provides a link from Ireland and Southern Scotland to the Northeast Ports (Newcastle, Teesport and Sunderland).
- A main route from Cumbria to the Northeast.
- All weather route linking the Northeast to the Northwest.
- Provides access to Newcastle Airport from the west.
- Provides access to and from Central and Southern Scotland from the Northeast.
- Provides access to and from main rail routes.
Regional Functions
- Main access for communities to the wider trunk road network.
- Provides commercial access to Carlisle and Newcastle.
- Provides tourist access throughout Cumbria and Northumberland.
- Facilitates regional regeneration.
- Compliments the parallel rail route between Carlisle and Newcastle.
- Provides access to hospitals in the region.
Local Functions
- Provides a commuter route for the towns along the A69.
- Acts as a local distributor for the region.
- Commercial route to and from Hexham and other local markets.
- Provides an important public transport corridor.
- Provides direct access for local businesses, farms and residents.
- Provides access to educational facilities.
- Provides access to leisure facilities.
- Provides access to local health and emergency services.
- Provides access to Carlisle Airport from the east.
Route Objectives
Route objectives set out the Highways Agency's management aims for a route in relation to the 5 key transport criteria identified by the Government. The to 5 key transport criteria are set out below together with the specific objectives that have been identified for the A69 under each heading.
Economy
To contribute to an efficient economy, and to support sustainable economic growth in appropriate locations.
The route management objectives identified for the A69 are:
- To balance the strategic, regional and local functions of the route.
- To improve journey time reliability along the route.
- To minimise traffic disruption during road maintenance or traffic incidents (accidents), and ensure co-ordination of works with the relevant local authorities.
- To plan all works to achieve optimum whole life costs with minimal disruption to users.
- To maximise the availability of the route for users, and the serviceability of the road, structures and other highway equipment.
Safety
To improve safety for all travellers.
The route management objectives identified for the A69 are:
- To maintain or improve road safety for all road users.
Environment
To protect and enhance the built and natural environment.
The route management objectives identified for the A69 are:
- To ensure that good air quality is maintained along the route.
- To ensure effective measures are in place to protect watercourses from pollutant spillage on the Highway.
- To protect and enhance existing flora and fauna.
- To protect and enhance the environmental character of the route.
- To protect the HA investment in off-site planting and ensure maintenance.
- To give due recognition to noise nuisance and problems.
Accessibility
To promote accessibility to everyday facilities for all, especially those without a car.
The route management objectives identified for the A69 are:
- To improve and enhance accessibility for non-motorised users.
Integration
To promote the integration of all forms of transport and land use planning, leading to a better, more efficient transport system.
The route management objectives identified for the A69 are:
- To work in partnership with road users, transport providers and operators to integrate operations.
- To make appropriate provisions to encourage the use of public transport.
Possible Problems
In order to ensure that the A69 meets and continues to satisfy the route objectives over the next ten years, investigation was carried out to identify problems on the route. The problems identified on the A69 are set out below under the headings of the Governments 5 key transport criteria.
Economy
- On the single carriageway sections of the route, there are limited overtaking opportunities, which, coupled with a high proportion of HGVs, results in driver frustration.
- Congestion in the morning peak on the approach to the A69/A1 junction.
- There are reports of periodic congestion at the Bridge End roundabout on market and/or event days in Hexham.
Safety
- There are high accident rates in the Warwick Bridge area and at West Denton
- There are high KSI (Killed and Seriously Injured) ratios in the Aglionby area, East of Warwick Bridge to the Brampton Bypass and East of Haydon Bridge to the start of the Dual Carriageway.
- There is a lack of appropriate warning signs to alert drivers of non-motorised user crossing points along the route.
- It is difficult to enter/egress from minor side roads along the A69.
Environment
- There is no route specific Biodiversity Action Plan for the A69.
- There is noise nuisance at the towns of Warwick Bridge, Haydon Bridge and at West Denton.
Accessibility
- Minor improvements are required at a number of non-motorised user crossing points along the route.
- There are community severance issues at Haydon Bridge.
- Of the 70 lay-bys along the route, only three meet current standards.
Integration
- More opportunities could be taken up to encourage modal shift.
- There is a lack of directional signposting for local rail stations accessed from the A69.
Possible Actions
To address the identified route problems, the following program of remedial measures have been planned for implementation over the next ten years. The measures have categorised by priority.
High Priority Actions
- Implement planned improvements to the A1/A69 junction.
- Monitor the performance of the A1/A69 junction following improvements.
- Prepare a Biodiversity Action Plan.
- Investigate actions to create overtaking opportunities.
- Monitor accident patterns at locations where recent safety improvements have been made.
- Undertake further investigations at Bridge End roundabout, Hexham to assess reported congestion.
- Undertake planned improvements to construct a bypass of Haydon Bridge.
Medium Priority Actions
- Undertake a junction study to ascertain the feasibility of improving existing junctions to make them a consistent standard taking into account the number of minor accesses along the route.
- Implement the findings of the Highways Agency's lay-by study.
- Provide pedestrian crossing warning signs.
- Subject to the outcome of liaison with local authorities regarding the provision of adequate parking and complementary signing on local roads, directional signs to rail stations close to the A69 will be provided.
Low Priority Actions
- Prepare an Environmental Management Plan.
- Implement minor improvements to pedestrian crossing points where required.
- Continue to review levels of noise nuisance in Warwick Bridge, Haydon Bridge and West Denton.
- Establish a discussion forum involving local stakeholders to encourage modal shift.
