Highways Agency

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Route description
• 3 Route functions and objectives
• 4 route problems and issues
• 5 Route outcomes
• 6 Land use & development control statement

1 Introduction

1 Introduction

1.1 Report Format

This document provides details of the Route Management Strategy (RMS) for the A13/A1089 between the Greater London Authority (GLA) boundary and Tilbury. The main document has been divided into two parts. Part I provides details of the Route Management Strategy whilst Part II provides associated Land-Use and Development information.

Part I includes a brief overview of the principles of the RMS process and how the strategy for the A13/A1089 has been developed (Chapter 1); a description of the route (Chapter 2); details of its functions (Chapter 3); and problems and performance (Chapter 4). Chapter 5 contains details of the outcomes of the Route Management Strategy study, which the Highways Agency will use to develop a 3-year and 10-year plan for the management and development of the route.

Part II provides details of the Land Use and Development Control Statement, which sets out the how the route interacts with existing regional spatial (Regional Planning Guidance), transport strategies and development plans.

1.2 Background

The A13/A1089 GLA Boundary to Tilbury Route Management Strategy considers the section of the A13/A1089 between the Greater London Authority Boundary at the junction with the A1306 (New Road/London Road) near Wennington and the main entrance to the Port of Tilbury. The route is some 13.5km (8.4miles) long incorporating several major junctions, most notably Junction 30 of the M25 and the interchange between the A13 and A1089 near Orsett.

The route is of all-purpose dual carriageway standard providing the main access to Tilbury Docks and the Lakeside Shopping Centre as well as local communities such as South Ockendon, Grays, Chadwell St. Mary and Tilbury. The non-trunk road section of the A13 also links to the A130 and the A127 providing access to areas of East Essex including Basildon and Southend on Sea.

For the purpose of the Route Management Strategy the route has been divided into two main sections as follows:

• The mostly dual-three lane section of the A13(T) from the A13(T)/A1306 junction (near Wennington) to the A13(T)/A1089(T) interchange (near Orsett), some 9km in length.
• The dual-two lane section of the A1089(T) from the A13(T)/A1089(T) interchange (near Orsett) to the main entrance to the Port of Tilbury, 4.5km in length.

1.3 Route Management Strategies

The Route Management Strategy (RMS) for the A13/A1089 is part of a series of more than 60 RMSs being developed for the Highways Agency's core trunk road network. The RMS process is a means by which the Highways Agency can identify and collate existing problems and concerns along a route, including development issues, together with relevant local and national policy issues. It can then link these with agreed route objectives and functions that identify and prioritise what it wants the route to do now and in the future, and prepare a 10-year vision for the improvements that will make better use of the road.

The aim of the RMS is to provide an open and optimum way of planning future investment in the maintenance, operation and improvement of the network, which integrates local and regional land and transport interests in the decision-making process. The RMS process:

• Provides a consistent approach to the maintenance, operation and improvement of a route over a period of about 10 years, which addresses the whole route including all individual problem areas.
• Enables a public consultation process to ensure the views of local road users and residents are fully taken into account.
• Provides route objectives and a management plan for improvements to be progressed within the 10-year period of the strategy.

More specific details on the purpose and aims of a Route Management Strategy are provided in Appendix A, Route Management Strategy Overview.

1.4 Development of the A13/A1089 RMS

This Route Management Strategy study was undertaken by the Highways Agency's consultants Halcrow Group Limited between February 2002 and November 2004. The main features to-date of the RMS development for this route have been:

• A study of existing and likely future conditions on the route, including a review of potential developments that may impact on the route or its performance.
• Consultation with key groups including road user organisations, Local Authorities, police, the Port Authority and the public from an early stage.
• Closer involvement of these groups in the decision-making process to encourage a more unified approach to improving the route conditions.
• Workshops and a seminar to discuss problems and issues, agree route functions and objectives and assess potential solutions and measures to be included in the draft RMS.
• A public consultation (including a number of exhibitions about the Route Management Strategy) between January and April 2004 at which comments on the draft Strategy were invited from the public, stakeholders and other interested organisations. A summary of the recommendations resulting from the consultation process together with details (locations and times) of the exhibitions are provided in Appendix B.
• Publication of the adopted 2004 Route Management Strategy.

1.5 Route Management Strategy Guidance

Since the A13/A1089 RMS commenced in February 2002, the Highways Agency guidance, which defines the process for developing and reporting such strategies, has been revised. This RMS, including the procedures for public consultation, has been produced in accordance with version 1 of the guidance (January 2002), which is now superseded. However, where possible the current strategy has been reported in accordance with the new guidance by incorporating the following changes:

• The results of the RMS study are now expressed in a series of Route Outcomes, which set out what the Highways Agency will seek to obtain from the route over the 10-year period of the strategy. The specific Route Actions presented during the public consultation are now put forward as possible actions for addressing the problems and issues identified by the Route Outcomes. Table 5.1 (75KB PDF) shows how all Route Actions agreed during the study (including any additional actions identified during the public consultation) have been assigned to specific Route Outcomes. It should be noted however, that Route Outcomes are not now categorised in terms of high, medium or low priority.
• Each Route Outcome includes a description of the anticipated timescale required for addressing the issues and problems identified but this is not expressed in the form of 3-year and 10-year management plans. It is now the responsibility of the Highways Agency to separately produce and review a Route Management Plan which includes committed and potential actions developed to achieve the Route Outcomes.