Highways Agency

A30 Penzance to Exeter, Final Report Summary

What is a Route Management Strategy?

Route Management Strategies are used by the Highways Agency to provide a framework for managing individual trunk roads as part of wider transport networks. Running over a 10-year period, they assist the Highways Agency in planning and optimising investment in the trunk road network. Strategies focus on making better use of the existing infrastructure, for example by implementing traffic management, network control or better integration with other transport modes, rather than promoting major capital investment.

Route Management Strategies provide a vision for the development of safer and more reliable routes, and the improved integration of road planning and future investment with regional transport and planning decisions. One of the major functions of the Strategies is to consider land-use planning and its impact on the trunk road network.

About the Highways Agency

The Highways Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport. It is responsible for managing, maintaining and improving the network of trunk roads and motorways in England, on behalf of the Secretary of State. It also works closely with other transport operators and with local authorities to integrate the trunk road network with the rest of England's roads and other forms of transport.

Route Outcomes

Route Outcomes set out the Highways Agency's aims for a route over a 10-year period, subject to funds being available. They are a particularly important part of the Route Management Strategy. Some of the Route Outcomes may point towards individual projects and investigations which will subsequently be developed by the Agency as part of a Route Management Plan. The Route-wide Outcomes and Route Outcomes for specific sections of the A30 are shown on the map overleaf.

Stakeholder Consultation

Consultation relating to this section of the A30 was first carried out during the Government's London to South West and South Wales Multi Modal Study. This study included recommendations for a long-term transport strategy between London, South West England and South Wales.

Consultation meetings were undertaken with Devon County Council, Cornwall County Council, Exeter City Council, Dartmoor National Park, the District Councils adjacent to the route and representatives from the Police. Further consultations were undertaken with the Government Office for the South West and the South West Regional Development Agency. In addition, the major stakeholders were issued with a 'Proposed Route Management Strategy' brochure / questionnaire and a detailed 'Proposed Route Management Strategy' report.

Major stakeholders commented on the proposed A30 Route Management Strategy in the form of either a questionnaire, letter, email or telephone conversation. The A30 'Proposed Route Management Strategy' brochure and questionnaire were also sent to a wider group of over 230 interested parties and organisations, including the Parish Councils adjacent to the route. In total, 18% of all stakeholders commented on the 'Proposed Route Management Strategy'. Responses from stakeholders were considered and where appropriate have been incorporated into the final Route Management Strategy report.

Route Management Plan

Following the completion of the Route Management Strategy, a Route Management Plan will be developed by the Highways Agency to provide the implementation plan for actions that will contribute to the Route Outcomes.

The Highways Agency will consider actions that can realistically be delivered within the 10 years of the Route Management Strategy. The Route Management Plan produced will include committed and potential actions taking account of the budget and resources available to them.

Scope of the A30 Route Management Strategy

This Strategy considers the length of the A30 that links Penzance and Exeter via Bodmin, Launceston and Okehampton. The road is of varying standards, ranging from dual carriageway for most of the route between Bodmin and Exeter, to single carriageway with varying horizontal and vertical alignment at Crowlas, Marazanvose, Victoria (Goss Moor) and near Temple.

A guide to the proposed Route Outcomes for the various sections of the A30 (part 1)

Key to Route Outcomes

Safety
Environment
Economy
Accessibility
Integration

Section 1: Chy-An-Mor to Newtown

Work in partnership with Local Authorities, Developers and other Stakeholders to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation measures, including network improvements.

Continue route-wide accident monitoring, analysis and assessment at junctions, including roundabouts and 'T' junctions. Identify trends and accident problem areas, prioritise locations for treatment.

Section 2: Newtown to St Erth

Prioritise and implement recommendations of improvements to facilities for non-motorised users identified in previous studies. Include consultation with user groups.

Identify problems associated with direct accesses onto the network and develop mitigation measures.

Develop a strategy for the road between Newtown and St Erth both in the short term, giving consideration to traffic calming facilities, and in the longer term, determining the sustainability of the road for predicted traffic volumes.

Continue route-wide accident monitoring, analysis and assessment at junctions, including roundabouts and 'T' junctions. Identify trends and accident problem areas, prioritise locations for treatment.

Section 3: St Erth to Camborne

Work in partnership with Local Authorities, Developers and other Stakeholders to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation measures, including network improvements.

Investigate traffic movements at various locations on the A30 where operational issues have been identified.

Section 4: Camborne to Chiverton Cross

Work in partnership with Local Authorities, Developers and other Stakeholders to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation measures, including network improvements, particularly in the regeneration areas of Pool, Camborne and Redruth.

Prioritise and implement recommendations of improvements to facilities for nonmotorised users identified in previous studies. Include consultation with user groups.

Continue route-wide accident monitoring, analysis and assessment at junctions, including roundabouts and 'T' junctions. Identify trends and accident problem areas, prioritise locations for treatment.

Identify problems associated with a direct access onto the network from Cornwall County Council Highway Depot and develop mitigation measures.

Section 5: Chiverton Cross to Carland Cross

Continue route-wide accident monitoring, analysis and assessment at junctions, including roundabouts and 'T' junctions. Identify trends and accident problem areas, prioritise locations for treatment.

Implement designs from existing studies that will provide short-term benefits on single carriageway sections of the A30, prior to construction of Chiverton Cross to Carland Cross major road scheme.

Support programmed major schemes to upgrade the A30, from Exeter to Camborne, to two lane dual carriageway.

Section 6: Carland Cross to Indian Queens

Prioritise and implement recommendations of improvements to facilities for non-motorised users identified in previous studies. Include consultation with user groups.

Section 7: Indian Queens to Innis Downs

Support programmed major schemes to upgrade the A30, from Exeter to Camborne, to two lane dual carriageway.

Implement designs from existing studies that will provide short-term benefits on single carriageway sections, prior to construction of Bodmin to Indian Queens major road scheme.

Continue route-wide accident monitoring, analysis and assessment at junctions, including roundabouts and 'T' junctions. Identify trends and accident problem areas, prioritise locations for treatment.

Work in partnership with Local Authorities, Developers and other Stakeholders to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation easures, including network improvements.

Route Wide Outcomes

Develop a route strategy to incorporate current standards and spacing of service facilities. Recommendations to consider improving and signing of facilities and reduction of the need for mobile snack facilities.

Continue route-wide Accident Investigation, Analysis and Assessment. Identify trends and accident problem areas. Prioritise locations for treatment.

Refine the direction signing strategy. Agree a hierarchy of signed destinations, a consistent junction identification standard and consider the adequacy of diversion route signing in recommending solutions.

Develop a route wide strategy for treatment and improvements at locations where there are safety concerns related to road geometry.

Continue to identify the location and standard of existing lay-bys. Develop a strategy to upgrade lay-bys to current standards and spacing requirements and produce prioritised programme.

Investigate current trials of new marker post systems. Develop a strategy to improve, provide a consistent system and produce implementation programme.

Continue to improve the safety environment and resilience of highway operations and maintenance.

Work in partnership with local Stakeholders to improve accessibility to public transport.

Minimise the impact of the A30 on the adjacent environment in terms of noise, water quality, light pollution and visual impact. Develop and review Landscape Management Plans, Biodiversity Action Plans and Cultural Heritage Management Plan.

Identify methods of improving the interaction and communication with, and information provided to, the public.

Support implementation of changes to Police and Highways Agency Network Operator roles.

Undertake a comprehensive review of tourism signing including the implications of the new Trunk Road Tourism Signing Standard and the provision of tourist information boards in laybys and picnic sites.

A guide to the proposed Route Outcomes for the various sections of the A30 (part 2)

Key to Route Outcomes

Safety
Environment
Economy
Accessibility
Integration

Section 8: Innis Downs to Higher Carblake

Identify problems associated with direct accesses onto the network and develop mitigation measures.

Identify problems associated with gaps in the central reserve and develop mitigation measures.

Identify and evaluate measures to address limitations and restricted movements at Callywith and Carminow junctions.

Work in partnership with Local Authorities, Developers and other Stakeholders to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation measures, including network improvements.

Section 9: Higher Carblake to Temple

Support programmed major schemes to upgrade the A30, from Exeter to Camborne, to two lane dual carriageway.

Implement designs from existing studies that will provide short-term benefits on single carriageway sections of the A30, prior to construction of Temple to Higher Carblake major road scheme.

Section 10: Temple to Launceston

Continue route-wide accident monitoring, analysis and assessment at junctions, including roundabouts and 'T' junctions. Identify trends and accident problem areas, prioritise locations for treatment.

Prioritise and implement recommendations of improvements to facilities for non-motorised users identified in previous studies. Include consultation with user groups.

Identify problems associated with direct accesses onto the network and develop mitigation measures.

Identify problems associated with gaps in the central reserve and develop mitigation measures.

Work in partnership with Local Authorities and Developers to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation measures, including network improvements.

Section 11: Launceston to Okehampton

Continue route-wide accident monitoring, analysis and assessment at junctions, including roundabouts and 'T' junctions. Identify trends and accident problem areas, prioritise locations for treatment.

Identify problems associated with direct accesses onto the network and develop mitigation measures.

Identify and evaluate measures to address limitations of restricted movement junctions at Sourton Cross and Meldon.

Work in partnership with Local Authorities, Developers and other Stakeholders to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation measures, including network improvements.

Section 12: Okehampton to Alphington

Investigate traffic movements at various locations on the A30 where operational issues have been identified.

Continue to promote the longterm solution to the junction at Fingle Glen.

Work in partnership with Local Authorities, Developers and other Stakeholders to encourage sustainable development. Negotiate and secure developer contributions to associated mitigation measures, including network improvements.

Section 13: Alphington to M5

Investigate traffic movements at various locations on the A30 where operational issues have been identified.

Prioritise and implement recommendations of improvements to facilities for non-motorised users identified in previous studies. Include consultation with user groups.

Route Wide Outcomes

Develop a route strategy to incorporate current standards and spacing of service facilities. Recommendations to consider improving and signing of facilities and reduction of the need for mobile snack facilities.

Continue route-wide Accident Investigation, Analysis and Assessment. Identify trends and accident problem areas. Prioritise locations for treatment.

Refine the direction signing strategy. Agree a hierarchy of signed destinations, a consistent junction identification standard and consider the adequacy of diversion route signing in recommending solutions.

Develop a route wide strategy for treatment and improvements at locations where there are safety concerns related to road geometry.

Continue to identify the location and standard of existing lay-bys. Develop a strategy to upgrade lay-bys to current standards and spacing requirements and produce prioritised programme.

Investigate current trials of new marker post systems. Develop a strategy to improve, provide a consistent system and produce implementation programme.

Continue to improve the safety environment and resilience of highway operations and maintenance.

Work in partnership with local Stakeholders to improve accessibility to public transport.

Minimise the impact of the A30 on the adjacent environment in terms of noise, water quality, light pollution and visual impact. Develop and review Landscape Management Plans, Biodiversity Action Plans and Cultural Heritage Management Plan.

Identify methods of improving the interaction and communication with, and information provided to, the public.

Support implementation of changes to Police and Highways Agency Network Operator roles.

Undertake a comprehensive review of tourism signing including the implications of the new Trunk Road Tourism Signing Standard and the provision of tourist information boards in laybys and picnic sites.

The London to South West and South Wales Multi Modal Study

The London to South West and South Wales Multi Modal Study (also known as "SWARMMS") made recommendations for a long-term strategy to address passenger and freight transport movement needs on the key transport corridors between London and the South West of England. SWARMMS provides the overriding strategy for the longer-term improvements to the A30 between Penzance and Exeter.

This Route Management Strategy will complement SWARMMS by focusing on making better use of the existing highway infrastructure.

SWARMMS said the following about the A30 between Penzance and Exeter:

"The main Trunk Roads through Devon and Cornwallare the A30 and the A38. The A30 is the Strategic longdistance route into Cornwall."

"There are high accident rates on some singlecarriageway sections of the A30 route corridor and atsome junctions."

"Upgrading the A30 will provide significant safetybenefits, and this will be supported by local safetyschemes."

"Failure to upgrade the A30 route to dual carriagewaystandard will have adverse impacts on congestion, thereliability of journey times, road safety, and the Devonand Cornwall economy."

A30 Route Management Project stages

1. Study commenced June 2003
2. Review previous studies and data collection
3. Inititial stakeholder consultation
4. Preview of policy and planning documents
5. Produce proposed Route Management Strategy
6. report
7. Seek comments from stakeholders on proposed
8. Route Management Strategy
9. Review comments made on proposed Route
10. Management Strategy
11. Produce final Route Management Strategy
12. Summer 2004

A30 Route Objectives

The A30 Route Objectives set out the future roleand aims for the A30 over the 10-year period of theStrategy. These are derived from the Government'sobjectives for transport, the Highways Agency strategicplans, interaction with regional and local plans, andfrom an analysis of route performance, problems andissues.

The Route Objectives have been set out under theGovernment's five core objectives for transport:

• Safety: reduce accidents, severities and cluster sites, improve the route for all vulnerable road users, improve all rest facilities, ensure safe access to facilities in local and rural areas, improve safety of various accesses directly onto the trunk road.
• Environment: seek to reduce all pollution along the route, encourage traffic to use appropriate routes for their journey and seek to reduce any visual intrusion along the route.
• Economy: give priority to the strategic and regional functions of the route, reduce disruption and delay to road users on congested parts of the route, especially at major junctions and ensure that land use planning promotes sustainable development.
• Accessibility: improve facilities for non-motorised users along and across the route, reduce community severance, encourage the use of alternative modes of transport other than the private car e.g. public transport.
• Integration: promote the integration of all transport services, make better use of the route by working in partnership with all road users, transport operators and providers, improve user information, encourage modal shift to more sustainable means of transport.

A30 Route Functions

Route Functions describe the role that the A30 serves,either now or in the future. The Route Functions aresub-divided into strategic, regional and local functions.

Strategic

• provides access to North Devon & through Cornwall to Penzance,
• the A30 between Penzance and Exeter is part of the Trans European Road Network.

Regional

• serves as a regional commuting route throughout the area,
• provides a public transport route with buses providing links to rail services in major towns,
• provides regional access to Exeter International

Airport, regional airports and ports,

• facilitates tourism within the area,
• Supports agriculture, commerce, supply and distribution.

Local

• supports economic activity,
• provides a route linking local communities,
• provides pedestrian and cycle routes within the local area,
• provides access to local shops, education, healthcare facilities and public transport.

Further information

Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the A30 Route Management Strategy, please contact:

Ian Parsons
Network Strategy Manager
Area 1 Team
Highways Agency
Ash House
Falcon Road
Exeter
EX2 7LB

Telephone 01392 312520
Fax. 01392 312550
Email: odarea1@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Highways Agency Information Line 08457 50 40 30