Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Related pages

• Executive summary
• 1 introduction
• 2 description of the route
• 3 policy objectives
• 4 route functions
• 5 land use and development control statement
• 6 route problems and performance
• 7 route outcomes
• 8 strategy impact statement
• 9 the next steps

1 introduction

1 Introduction

1.1 Background

In line with the Governments White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone ", Route Management Strategies are a technique being 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 Route Management Strategy (RMS) process is intended to improve the coordination of initiatives and the planning of future investment to operate and maintain a specified route. It is primarily about making best use of the existing route but might identify more major schemes for further consideration.

The RMS process will help the Highways Agency (HA) in the following ways to:

• Assist in planning and optimising investment in the trunk road/motorway network and in the delivery of HA strategic plans and ten-year transport strategy. Essentially, spending the available money more effectively.
• Provide consistency, transparency, openness and integration, particularly with other transport related strategies, including local and regional transport plans (also providing input into these strategies and plans).
• Maximise customer focus and ensure that stakeholders, users of the route and local people have a say in the development of the route. Local people and organisations often know more about local problems and what the solutions might be.
• Improve forward planning over a 10-year horizon.

The RMS process includes:

• Gathering information to determine the characteristics of the route and its performance.
• Extensive consultation with stakeholders - regional bodies, local planning and highway authorities, the police, etc.
• Wider consultation with other local and national organisations.
• Full public consultation.
• Review of regional planning, structure plans, and local development plans etc.
• Identifying problems/issues over safety, congestion, accessibility, integration, and the environment.
• Investigating potential changes in future traffic patterns, volumes, congestion, composition, and journey time variability.

1.2 The RMS Route

The route of the RMS study comprises the A194(M)/A184/A19 trunk road between junction 65 of the A1(M) at Washington and the Seaton Burn junction on the A1 trunk road to the north. It does not include the Tyne Tunnel which is the responsibility of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority.

The route lies within the boundaries of Sunderland Metropolitan Council, South Tyneside Metropolitan Council, North Tyneside Metropolitan Council, Gateshead Metropolitan Council and Northumberland County Council (see map below).

1.3 History of the Study

In September 2003, Hyder Consulting were commissioned by the HA to undertake a Route Management Strategy study on the A194(M)/A184/A19 trunk road in accordance with the Highways Agency Route Management Strategy Guidance (Version 2) dated November 2003

In April 2004 a draft Route Management Strategy was produced and a full Public Consultation on the draft held from 8th May to 31st July 2004.

This Report sets out the Final Route Management Strategy taking into account the contributions received during the public consultation.

1.4 Overview of the Route Management Strategy

1.4.1 RMS Elements

The RMS comprises identification of the following five elements:

1. Policy Objectives
2. Route Functions and Performance
3. Land Use and Development Control Strategy
4. Route Problems and Issues
5. Route Outcomes

To see how these elements interact, see Figure 1.1.

1.4.2 Policy Objectives

Policy Objectives are wider planning, economic and transport objectives, which are pertinent to the route. These can be derived from national, regional and local sources including:

National Sources

• Government Objectives and Policies (e.g. Planning Policy Guidance)
• Highways Agency Strategic Plans & Initiatives
• Other National Policies

Regional and Local Sources

• Regional Planning Guidance and Transport Strategies
• Development Plans (Local Plans, Structure Plans and Unitary Development Plans)
• Local Transport Plans
• Multi-Modal Studies/Road Based Studies
• Mineral and Waste Plans

(The implications of the new "Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act July 2004 are setout in detail in section 5.2)

These objectives have been used throughout the RMS process to ensure that the RMS outcome is in keeping with wider policies. They have been used when identifying the function of the route, the problems and issues associated, the land use and development control strategy and the route outcomes.

Figure 1.1 - Interaction of RMS Elements

The Highways Agency has five headline policy objectives for transport (based upon government policy objectives) which underpin the RMS. They are:

• To contribute to an efficient economy and to support sustainable economic growth in appropriate locations
• To improve safety for all travellers
• To protect and enhance the built and natural environment
• To promote accessibility to everyday facilities, especially for those without a car
• To promote the integration of all forms of transport and land use planning

1.4.3 Route Functions and Performance

Functions and performance describe the purposes that the route currently serves and those it intends to serve in the future. Functions are based on the nature of journeys that occur on the route and the relationship between the route and other parts of the national and local transport infrastructure and regional land use development.

Consideration of the functions will direct the study towards the problems which it will beseeking to resolve.

The performance of the route is assessed on the basis of the five key areas of assessment identified by government i.e. Economy, Safety, Environment, Integration and Accessibility.

1.4.4 Land Use and Development Control Statement

The Land Use and Development Control Statement sets out:

• How the route interacts with existing regional and local planning and transport strategies.
• Issues concerning the route that will need to be addressed in revisions to those strategies and development plans and
• How the HA will interpret Planning Policy Guidance PPG13 and Department of Transport Circular 4/2001 (this sets out the overall government development control policy) along the route.

It involves looking at the existing and future planning aspirations associated with the route and assessing their impact. Necessary changes to ensure that the route sits together with its planning and development control context will be identified. This could involve changes to the RMS or to Policy.

1.4.5 Problems and Issues

Route Problems and Issues are matters of concern to the Highways Agency, stakeholders and the public. During the RMS Study, there has been an examination of the extent to which perceived and real problems and issues are preventing the Policy Objectives from being met, or which hinder the performance of Route Functions.

Where problems occur, there is likely to be a reduction in performance, which can be identified at a Network level.

Route Problems can be understood through consideration of the following:

• Network Comparison - Safety and Economic Performance Indicators.
• Route Characteristics - illustration of the make-up of the route and its constraints.
• Recorded Incidents - including accident statistics, air quality management areas, pollution incidents etc.
• Feedback from Consultation.

1.4.6 Route Outcomes

Route Outcomes set out what the HA seek to obtain from the route over the 10-year period of the RMS. They will contribute to Policy Objectives, improve the performance of Route Functions, support the Land Use and Development Control Statement and address Route Problems and Issues.

These are the key outputs expected from the RMS.

1.4.7 The Overall RMS Process

An overview of the processes and the key events of the RMS study are shown in Figure 1.2.

The RMS was developed in three stages. The first was the development of the Initial RMS presented at a Seminar with the Wider Reference Group (WRG) on the 27th January 2004 (refer to section 1.3).

The second stage was the development of the Draft RMS in April 2004. This took account of the views of the WRG and further investigation into problems and issues carried out by the consultants, and was followed by a formal Public Consultation on the Draft.

The third stage was the development of the Final RMS that takes account of views expressed during the Public Consultation.

Figure 1.2 Overview of the RMS Process

1.5 Details of Consultations

Consultation is an important part of the RMS process, it has taken place throughout thestudy. The main parties consulted comprise:

• Stakeholders. These comprise the Government Office for the North East, North East Assembly, the Highways Agency and their agents, the Local Highway Authorities and the police (see list in Appendix A Table A)
• The Wider Reference Group. This comprises a large number of local, regional and national organisations with a potential interest in the route (see list in Appendix A Table B).
• The General Public

In November 2003, a Stakeholder Workshop took place where early Policy Objectives, Route Functions and Problems and Issues identified at that stage were presented and discussed.

The RMS Seminar took place on the 27th January 2004. It was organised to provide an opportunity to consult on the initial RMS with the Wider Reference Group (WRG). A questionnaire was also sent out in January 2004 to the WRG requesting details about problems and issues along the route.

Following the Seminar, a Seminar Report (Report No. A011) and Seminar Questionnaire Survey Report (Report No. A012) were produced incorporating the findings of the Seminar event. Issues from the Seminar event were incorporated within the Draft RMS where appropriate.

In March 2004, a second Stakeholder Workshop took place, which primarily discussed and reviewed the Draft Route Outcomes and identified those that would be taken forward to Public Consultation.

From 8th May to 31st July a formal Public Consultation was held in order to obtain theviews of the general public on the Draft RMS Report.

The Draft RMS Report was placed on deposit at council offices along the route. A consultation leaflet and questionnaire was produced and distributed to households adjacent to the route via free local newspapers (the Herald and Post and the Washington Star). Quantities of the leaflet were also placed at various local sites such as central libraries, Local Authority offices and petrol stations alongside the route, motorway services, shopping centres and at the ferry terminal. For a full list see Appendix A, sections C and D.

The Draft RMS Report was also available for viewing on the Highways Agency website along with a questionnaire to enable comments to be provided electronically.

A separate report has been prepared on the public consultation (Report No. A018) acopy of which is available on the web site or from the Consultants.

During the Public Consultation, many suggestions were made for specific and general measures to be put in place. A summary list of those not otherwise covered in the RMS report are listed in the Public Consultation Report (Report No. A018). The public also commented on other related issues that were off the RMS Route, and these were referred to other organisations. A summary of these comments are included in Appendix H.

1.6 Reports and Data Used to Prepare the RMS

1.6.1 General Sources

Policy documents referred to are set out in general terms in section 1.4.2 and in detailin the Policy Objective Source Tables in Appendix E.

Environmental data was collected mostly from resources available via web sites and the managing agents for the road. Traffic flow data came from automatic traffic counters and available turning movement surveys whilst accident data was collated from the local authorities.

Other data was collected from the Ports Authority, the Strategic Rail Authority and other such organisations.

Several studies and initiatives are underway along the route. Studies pertinent to thisstudy are listed in Appendix D.

During review of the study reports, a number of issues have been identified that relateto this RMS route and may impact on it in the future. The studies have provided a significant amount of information that has contributed to and helped to substantiate issues that the RMS has investigated.

A summary of the key issues to emerge are provided below.

1.6.2 Multi-Modal Studies

There are two Multi-Modal Studies that relate to the area of the RMS study, they are:

(1) Tyneside Area Multi-Modal Study (TAMMS) - November 2002

TAMMS has far reaching implications for strategic transport movements within the area, affecting both major and local routes. The recommended strategy measures relating to the route identified from this study are:

• Widening of the A1 western by-pass and junction rationalisation.
• Key highway network stress points were identified as A1(M)/A194(M) junction, north and south roundabouts to the Tyne Tunnel, A1058 Silverlink interchange, A189 Moor Farm roundabout and A1/A19 Seaton Burn interchange. Improvements to these are suggested.
• Provision of a Second Tyne Crossing.
• Improvement of public transport measures.
• Provision/improvement to traffic management.
• Provision/improvement of electronic communications.
• Promotion of cycling and walking.
• Initiatives to change travel behaviour.
• Improvements to land use planning policy.

The strategy also identified as one of its objectives …'to encourage reduction in car usage through measures such as travel behaviour initiatives and through pricing measures in the major conurbations…'.

The origin/destination surveys included within TAMMS provided information on the journeys that were taking place and hence helped determine Route Functions.

(2) A1 Multi-Modal Study - September 2001

The principal aim of this study was to investigate the transport pressures along the A1 trunk road between Newcastle and the Scottish Borders and identify solutions to identified accident rates. It has little significance on this RMS study, as improvements are generally recommended north of Newcastle.

1.6.3 Further RMS Studies

There are four other RMS's in the area of Newcastle, these are:

• A69 Carlisle to Newcastle RMS - Final RMS published July 2003
• A168/A19 Dishforth to South Tyneside RMS - Final RMS published October 2003
• A1(M) Blyth to Gateshead - Final RMS published March 2004
• A1 Gateshead to Berwick-Published 2000

A number of actions have been identified at this stage, however, none have a direct impact on this RMS. A number of issues have been identified that relate to, for example: the standard of signing, improvements for non-motorised users, assistance with modal shift, improvements to pollution control, improvements to service facilities and lay-bys, improvements to biodiversity action plans and landscape plans. This study has sought to co-ordinate and reinforce the relevant issues and provide consistency across the HA network.

1.6.4 Second Tyne Crossing

The Tyne Tunnel is operated by Nexus, it is not the responsibility of the HA and as such is not part of the RMS study. Similarly the issue as to whether a second crossing should be constructed is outside the scope of this study.

It is recognised however, that the proposed second crossing (a tunnel) is by far the biggest issue that may affect traffic flows on the route. The scheme has been the subject of a Public Inquiry and a decision on whether the scheme will progress is currently expected in 2005.

The New Tyne crossing Environmental Study has provided a significant amount of background information for this RMS study.

1.6.5 The A19 Corridor Study

An A19 Corridor Study (February 2002) has been undertaken to investigate the effect of traffic flows on the A19, both with and without the Second Tyne crossing. It was prepared by Arup Transport on behalf of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority and proposes possible highway improvements that will mitigate the effects of traffic growth, future development and opening of the Second Tyne crossing.

This report has provided a significant amount of information on junction capacity along the route and possible improvements. Both minor and major works are discussed in the report to improve the capacity of junctions. Minor works include:

• Replacement of priority junction with a roundabout at Dudley Lane interchange.
• Replacement of east priority junctions with a roundabout at the Killingworth interchange.
• Remodelling of the south and north portal junctions.
• Provision of traffic signals at the Holystone and Lindisfarne roundabouts.
• Provision of left turn lanes at the Silverlink, Testo's and White Mare Pool roundabouts.

Major improvements discussed are:

• Grade separation schemes at Seaton Burn, Moor Farm, Silverlink and Testos junctions.

1.6.6 Proposed Schemes and Investigations Underway

Two junction improvement schemes have obtained entry into the Governments Targeted Programme of Improvements (TPI's). These are:

• The Testo's roundabout
• The Seaton Burn interchange including both the A1 junction and A1068
• roundabout.
• Two further junctions are being considered for entry to the TPI. These are:
• The A1058 Silverlink junction
• The A189 Moor Farm roundabout.