Framework Pinhoe Area Access Strategy

Transcription

1 Framework Pinhoe Area Access Strategy January 2011 Devon County Council County Hall Topsham Road Exeter Devon EX2 4QD 1

2 PREPARED BY Name: Matt Collins Position: Assistant Transportation Planning Officer Date: October 2010 AGREED BY Name: Jamie Hulland Position: Transportation Studies Manager Date: January 2011 ISSUED BY Name: Dave Black Position: Head of Planning and Transportation Date: January

3 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Purpose of the report BACKGROUND Local Planning Context Masterplanning Approach Pressures and Constraints ACCESS STRATEGY Overview Improving the range and quality of sustainable transport options Enhancing the public realm and improving safety and local traffic management Providing additional Route Choice ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF GROWTH Methodology Double Mini Roundabout impacts Chancel Lane impacts Cheynegate Lane impacts CONCLUSIONS Summary of Analysis FIGURES APPENDIX FEASIBILITY REPORT SEPTEMBER Brief Feasibility Study Additional Considerations Costs Summary

4 1. Introduction 1.1. Purpose of the report This report has been prepared as a framework for future discussions between developers and local planning and highways authorities. The purpose is to set out the likely transportation improvements that will be needed to support growth planned in the Pinhoe area both in Exeter City and East Devon District Council administrative boundaries A deferred County Development Management Committee decision for a development proposal of 450 dwellings recommended that a masterplan approach be investigated. This was considered necessary to comprehensively plan for education provision and develop a transportation strategy which would address existing issues and support sustainable economic development This transportation access strategy seeks to identify a range of measures aimed at reducing car use by providing attractive sustainable alternatives; improving local conditions for existing residents, and distributing traffic away from busy routes and sensitive junctions. 2. Background 2.1. Local Planning Context The East Devon District Council LDF Core Strategy Preferred Approach document (Sept 2010) proposes 800 dwellings in the Pinhoe area east of the double mini roundabouts The Exeter City Council Core Strategy Proposed Submission (July 2010) makes no specific reference to residential use in the north east of the city. However, with a need to accommodate 5000 dwellings in the city (excluding the strategic allocations of Monkerton/Hill Barton, Newcourt and South West Exeter), some of this growth could be accommodated in the Pinhoe area Pre-application discussions have been held for 4 major developments totalling up to 1500 dwellings in the Pinhoe area (see Figure 1). These comprise of approximately: 450 dwellings at Old Park Farm East Devon District 350 dwellings at Pinn Court 1 East Devon District 400 dwellings at Pinhoe Quarry Exeter City 250 dwellings at Ibstock Brickworks Exeter City 10000m 2 of employment at Ibstock Brickworks Exeter City In the recent planning application for Old Park Farm, the highways authority were satisfied that 450 dwellings could be accommodated with a minimal impact on the double mini roundabouts, subject to improved walking and 1 Pre application discussions have indicated up to 800 dwellings on this site; however, proximity to the motorway may reduce the level of development. The East Devon District Council LDF Core Strategy Preferred Approach has indicated a total of 800 dwellings east of the double mini roundabouts, with 450 dwellings at Old Park Farm and the remaining 350 dwellings accommodated either at Old Park Farm or Pinn Court. 4

5 cycling links, upgrade of rail station facilities, public realm improvements, an enhanced bus service from Cullompton and a small scale Park and Ride facility The purpose of these measures was to encourage both existing and new residents in the local area to transfer to more sustainable modes in order to minimise car use. Furthermore, due to the concentrated period of queuing at the double minis, there was also scope for people to adjust their journey times by either leaving earlier or later to avoid the congestion Due to the sensitivity of the double mini roundabouts, the analysis concluded that further development to the south (i.e. at Pinn Court) would not be appropriate until a later stage of the LDF plan period. Additional development beyond 450 dwellings could only be achieved following major transport improvements delivered as part of the East of Exeter developments including Monkerton, Skypark, Science Park and Cranbrook, which may help offset the impact of new development traffic In strategic planning terms, 450 dwellings in isolation would not deliver sustainable community benefits; the scale of development is unlikely to support a local shop and a new Primary School would be unviable. This has implications for the transport network with people needing to travel further afield, most likely by car, for local services. This reinforces the need to comprehensively plan for a larger urban area, taking a more strategic approach to transportation and education provision To the west of the double mini roundabouts, approximately 700 dwellings at the Quarry and Brickworks could put more pressure on Pinhoe village centre. Additional traffic accessing Cumberland Way via Church Hill could result in increased queuing on the approach from Cullompton with traffic needing to give way to the right. This further emphasises the need to consider the wider transport network and ways to make the existing road network operate efficiently in the future Masterplanning Approach A masterplan for Monkerton has recently been approved by Exeter City Council and takes a comprehensive, integrated approach to land use and transport planning for the area. The process involved District and County Council officers, key stakeholders, land agents and developers and has resulted in a scheme which takes into account education, accessibility, green infrastructure, community and energy infrastructure requirements. A transportation access strategy was developed to identify how impacts at Junction 29, on Honiton Road and Pinhoe Road could be managed To the South West of the Pinhoe Area the Science Park includes a large employment facility and establishes the east-west route through to the emerging Cranbrook development and Sky Park Facility. The emerging infrastructure in this area will help to provide additional route choices for any traffic travelling between the Pinhoe area and the east of Exeter A masterplanning approach to address strategic issues of education and transportation, in particular, has been recommended for the Old Park Farm and Pinn Court proposals. A joined-up approach to deliver transportation improvements associated with the Pinhoe Quarry and Ibstock brickworks 5

6 proposals is also considered necessary for the LDF process. This document considers the transportation issues that need addressing in the Pinhoe area and proposes a strategy to deliver sustainable growth Pressures and Constraints There are a number of constraints on the local highway network that would need addressing as part of future development proposals in the Pinhoe area. These are highlighted in Figure As recent surveys indicated, the most significant issue is the double mini roundabouts at Pinhoe, where there are existing queues between and on the B3181 approach from Cullompton (see Figure 3). As the graph indicates, queuing occurs during a very concentrated period of the day (between and 09.00), which reinforces the idea that if people adjusted their journey times, the impacts on the roundabouts could be reduced Nevertheless, there is potential for all four of the Pinhoe area development proposals to impact on these sensitive junctions as it provides a convenient route for trips to the motorway, Exeter Business Park and Sowton (via Cumberland Way) and in the future, east of Exeter developments. This is likely to result in increased queuing and delays on the Church Hill and B3181 southbound arms Pinn Lane is a narrow road, serving residential development in the Monkerton area. The route was previously used as a rat run for traffic from the Pinhoe / Cullompton corridors accessing the Exeter Business Park / Jct 29 until Cumberland Way was constructed. The northern end (Station Road) serves the railway station and is one of the approaches to the double mini roundabouts, which contributes to delays and queues during peak periods Harrington Lane and Beacon Lane currently provide an east-west link connecting the communities of Pinhoe, Beacon Heath and Pennsylvania with the city centre. It provides an alternative, cross city route to Pinhoe Road. However the narrow, single lane bridge on Beacon Lane, near the junction with Cheynegate Lane, is a major constraint on this corridor. There is limited capacity to accommodate large volumes of traffic and citybound development traffic from the Quarry / brickworks developments would increase queues and delays in the area with increased likelihood of traffic accidents due to the poor road alignment Chancel Lane is a residential road north of the railway line, although there are a number of capacity and safety constraints making it unsuitable for increased volumes of traffic. The road has parking on both sides of the road, residential frontages and a single lane railway bridge on a bend with poor forward visibility. Due to its proximity to the Quarry / brickworks developments, new residents are likely to use the road to access Pinhoe Road and destinations in the vicinity of the motorway to the detriment of the local community Traffic levels are relatively low in the local area, although there are a number of constraints on routes which development traffic will use. These constraints include narrow railway or river crossings and, in the case of the double mini roundabouts, a complex junction in a busy village centre with 5 6

7 approach arms. Being located on the eastern edge of the city, it is well located for new employment growth to the east of Exeter. This will offer opportunities to encourage more sustainable modes of travel, including walking and cycling for shorter distance journeys. The developments are also well served by bus services and are within reasonable distance of the rail station at Pinhoe. The following section sets out the transport strategy for accommodating growth in the Pinhoe area. 7

8 3. Access Strategy 3.1. Overview A number of options have been considered to help mitigate the impact of up to 1500 dwellings in the Pinhoe area. There are three strands to this strategy: Minimising car use by improving the range and quality of sustainable transport options Enhancing the public realm and improving safety and local traffic management to address transportation issues for existing local residents Increasing permeability from the north of the city by providing additional route choice to distribute traffic away from sensitive junctions, and The following sections outline the mitigation measures required to deliver the level of growth planned in the Pinhoe area, some of which are indicated in Figure Improving the range and quality of sustainable transport options minimising car use and promoting greener, healthier ways of travelling Direct and permeable walking and cycling links will need to be designed into development layouts to offer safe and convenient access to key services and facilities, including local shops, jobs, schools, bus stops and rail stations. There is a pedestrian / cycle link running along the south of the brickworks site, adjacent to the railway. Improved links will be needed to connect to Pinhoe Village and the Primary School Funding for a new, high quality cycle link has been secured providing a direct connection between communities in Broadclyst and Pinhoe. This will also benefit new residents at the Old Park Farm and Pinn Court developments. It would also connect into the planned primary cycle route offering a direct, predominantly segregated route from the edge of Exeter to the city centre. This will prove attractive for commuters, school children and will help encourage healthier, more physically active ways of travelling by also improving access to leisure opportunities (e.g. at Killerton/Poltimore) The Monkerton masterplan has a strong cycle network built into the design and it is important that the Pinhoe area developments connect into these routes to offer easy, safe access to the east of Exeter developments via the new M5 pedestrian/cycle bridge. A toucan crossing near Parker s Cross Lane would provide access from the new Broadclyst cycle route into the Monkerton area, where cyclists would use quieter residential roads to access the new bridge. It will also be important to provide convenient cycle connections from the quarry / brickstocks area, through the Monkerton development, to access the rail station. 8

9 Improved access to Pinhoe rail station and parking facilities for cyclists will encourage both new and existing residents to travel by rail into the city. In the longer term, with an increased frequency planned between Paignton and Exeter St James Park in 2016, there are opportunities with revenue support to extend this service to Cranbrook. This would enable a half hour frequency between Pinhoe and the city centre A Park and Change facility has been proposed for the Old Park Farm development, serving the B3181 Cullompton corridor. There are a number of villages and rural communities not served by the 1 service, and this facility will help capture trips currently passing through the double mini roundabouts and contributing towards delays With new growth there are opportunities to enhance existing bus routes and influence travel behaviour of new and existing communities. Increasing the frequency and improving the choice of destinations will increase the attractiveness of bus travel and help encourage residents to switch mode and reduce their car use For the Old Park Farm development, there are plans to use developer funds to provide additional buses on the 1 route from Cullompton. With additional buses, there are opportunities to alter the route of some citybound services to increase the choice of key destinations in the city. Some buses currently using Pinhoe Road, for instance, could instead route via Cumberland Way and Heavitree Road and serve major employment areas including Exeter Business Park (Met Office), Sowton Industrial Estate and the RD&E hospital. New and existing residents along the Cullompton-Pinhoe corridor would benefit from this and help remove car trips from the double mini roundabouts There are opportunities with the Pinn Court site to provide a bus gate into the existing Monkerton residential area at Parkers Cross Lane to improve access for existing residents and provide greater priority for buses travelling along the B3181. Buses avoiding delays at the double mini roundabouts would help encourage modal shift by offering more competitive journey times and better reliability For new residents in the Harrington Lane area, there are opportunities to extend the F service to deliver a frequent bus service within easy walking distance of development. This service can be significantly enhanced if combined with new road infrastructure described below. There are also opportunities to enhance the B service during peak periods to increase frequency to Exeter Business Park, which would also offer benefits to existing residents along the corridor In addition to the above measures, there are other demand management measures that can be used to influence travel behaviour, either through providing incentives to walk, cycle or travel by bus or rail, or by introducing parking charges to discourage employees from using their car. This is an approach adopted at County Hall and has recently been agreed for the Skypark and Science Park developments. Effective travel planning will therefore have an important role in reducing car use and encouraging new residents to travel in a more sustainable way during peak periods. Comprehensive residential travel plans will also have a role in influencing travel behaviour of new residents. These can be a useful tool in encouraging 9

10 people to travel sustainably from the outset, rather than getting into the habit of driving because they may be unfamiliar with the alternative travel choices Enhancing the public realm and improving safety and local traffic management addressing transportation issues for existing local residents A number of factors contribute towards delays at the double minis and a village centre enhancement scheme will be developed in consultation with residents and local stakeholders to improve local conditions and enable the junction to operate more efficiently. A number of contributing traffic management issues will be taken into account to improve the flow of traffic including the Pinhoe local centre car park access and egress arrangements and pedestrian crossing / bus stop locations Soft traffic calming measures on Chancel Lane will be introduced to reduce the speed of traffic and discourage development traffic from using the road as a through route to Pinhoe Road. A 6ft vehicle width restriction will also be put in place. These measures will be complemented by a new route which will provide a more attractive, alternative north-south link, described below Measures to improve the safety of the road over the bridge on Chancel Lane will be needed, including consideration for vulnerable road users such as children, elderly people and cyclists Providing additional Route Choice increasing permeability and distribute traffic away from sensitive junctions A new route connecting Harrington Lane with Pinhoe Road, via Exhibition Way is considered essential to mitigate the impacts of new development traffic (see Figure 2). This would also remove existing traffic from unsuitable routes including Church Hill, the double mini roundabouts, Beacon Lane and Chancel Lane where existing capacity or safety issues exist. The Pinhoe Quarry and Ibstock brickwork sites should deliver this route, which will require Exeter City Council owned land at the southern end. On street parking on Exhibition Way would need to be rationalised, and improvements to the signalised junction with Pinhoe Road With crossings of the railway line poor in the local area (e.g. Chancel Lane, Summer Lane and Beacon Lane), there are aspirations for the bridge to carry two lanes of traffic. A 5.6m wide carriageway could be achieved without replacing the existing structure at high costs, although a separate pedestrian / cycle bridge would be needed to provide safe access for vulnerable road users. Further structural surveys will be needed to assess the costs and feasibility of making the bridge accessible to vehicles Land will be acquired from developers in the Pilton Centre, north western part of the Monkerton development to widen Pinhoe Road (citybound) on the approach to Exhibition Way. This would allow a dedicated right turn lane into Exhibition Way and two ahead lanes towards the Pinhoe Sainsbury s junction. 10

11 To accommodate new dwellings on the site south of the B3181 at Pinn Court, some initial options for highway improvements on Langaton Lane have been investigated (see Figure 2 and Appendix for feasibility study). The improvements would allow traffic from the Cullompton direction to bypass the double mini roundabouts via a new route from the B3181 connecting into Langaton Lane. This would serve destinations east of the motorway, where future job opportunities will be. Preliminary designs have considered widening Langaton Lane to improve the standard of road for vehicular traffic and also provide a footway and cycleway. Shuttle working traffic signals or give and take priority measures would be used to deal with constraints at the railway bridge and the Pin Brook east of the motorway. The link would be designed to have a two-way capacity of between 500 and 1000 vehicles and so would not be suitable for significant levels of traffic. Even so, by removing this level of traffic from passing through the double mini roundabouts, it would help offset the traffic impacts of the Old Park Farm and Pinn Court developments The recently approved Monkerton and Hill Barton masterplan includes plans for a new, high standard east-west link road between Tithebarn Lane and Cumberland Way (Figure 4). This will be delivered by development in the Monkerton area and will relieve pressure on Junction 29 and the Honiton Road corridor in the longer term. This new link road will also help reduce impacts on the double mini roundabouts by diverting some citybound traffic currently using Station Road onto Cumberland Way via the east-west link road. The link road will also reduce the attractiveness of Pinn Lane as a through route for traffic between Pinhoe and Exeter Business Park with opportunities to stop up the Pinn Lane link south of the link road into Grenadier Road. 11

12 4. Assessing the impacts of Growth 4.1. Methodology Figures 5 to 7 give an indication of the changing traffic flows resulting from planned growth in the 4 major residential growth areas in Pinhoe. Figure 5 shows existing morning peak movements. It was established from the queue data that queuing impacts are worst in the period. Figure 6 gives an indication of the additional traffic generated and how it impacts on the sensitive parts of the network. Figure 7 shows how traffic levels change following introduction of additional road infrastructure, as described in section The traffic generation assumes a low vehicular trip rate, which could only be achieved with a strong commitment to reducing car use, in line with the recommendations in section 3.2. The following sections assess the impacts of the residual development traffic on the network A simple spreadsheet model has been developed using challenging but robust trip rates. The distribution of traffic is as agreed for the Old Park Farm planning applications and through scoping discussions for the Pinhoe Quarry area developments Double Mini Roundabout impacts It is evident from Figure 6 that with development there is an increase in traffic approaching the double mini roundabouts in the AM peak from 1800 vehicles to over 2000 vehicles. This level of increase, concentrated on the Church Hill and Pinn Hill (Cullompton) approaches will increase delays to an unacceptable level. As vehicles need to give way, the right turning vehicles on Church Hill impact on the ahead movement from Pinn Hill. With the level of additional traffic forecast for this corridor, this will exacerbate existing delays, which have an average of 20 vehicles queuing throughout the AM peak (approximately 120metres) Figure 7 indicates that with new road infrastructure at Exhibition Way and connecting to Langaton Lane, the traffic levels are reduced to approximately 1800 vehicles, which is comparable to existing levels. Exhibition Way mitigates any predicted increase on Church Hill (approximately 60 additional vehicles) and the Langaton Lane link is expected to attract approximately 170 trips from the Old Park Farm and Pinn Court developments as well as some existing trips from the B3181. This is a conservative estimate, with the road capable of accommodating up to 500 trips. There may therefore be even greater benefits to the B3181 corridor and the double mini roundabouts with further growth in jobs east of the motorway There is also a reduction of approximately 45 vehicles northbound on Station Road who instead will use the East-West Link Road, which will be delivered as part of the Monkerton development Chancel Lane impacts It is evident from Figure 6 that without any improvements to the existing road network, there would be an increase of approximately 175 vehicles in the 12

13 AM peak, which would present a safety concern on Chancel Lane, as well as impact negatively on existing local residents. The Exhibition Way Link would provide a more suitable route than Chancel Lane, with the standard of road, crossing of the railway and signal control at its junction with Pinhoe Road more capable of managing traffic on the local road network If Exhibition Way is to become an important route between Harrington Lane and Pinhoe Road, then there will need to be improvements to the signal junction at the southern end. Currently, there are two lanes: an ahead lane and an ahead / right turn lane. Given the increase in traffic on Pinhoe Road (with growth from Monkerton and Pinhoe area (eastern) developments) and increased use of Exhibition Way, it will be necessary to have a dedicated right turn lane and two straight ahead lanes on Pinhoe Road (from Pinhoe). This will require securing some land from development on the northern boundary of the Monkerton growth area (Pilton area) Cheynegate Lane impacts This route will still prove an attractive option for residents living along Harrington Lane, which is evident by the forecast increase of approximately 100 vehicles in the AM peak both with and without the Exhibition Way Link Road. In reality, due to the capacity constraint, traffic may be encouraged to use alternative routes such as Exhibition Way, Chancel Lane or Church Hill. Exhibition Way would be able to accommodate this level of increase with signal control at the junction with Pinhoe Road, although without this link, the impacts on Chancel Lane and Church Hill would be acceptable. 13

14 5. Conclusions 5.1. Summary of Analysis The above analysis assesses the traffic impacts on parts of the network where there are known capacity and safety issues in the Pinhoe area. The strategy for Pinhoe has a strong emphasis on minimising car use by improving the choice of sustainable modes to access key services and facilities. The area is located on a major transport corridor into the city and, being located on the edge of Exeter, is reasonably close to jobs planned for Skypark and Science Park. There are good opportunities to encourage high levels of walking, cycling, bus and rail use but development will still generate traffic which will exacerbate existing problems. The findings demonstrate the importance of delivering new roads in the local area to help mitigate the residual traffic impacts A summary of the mitigation measures are included in the table below: Improving the range and quality of sustainable transport options Enhancing the public realm and improving safety and local traffic management Providing additional route choice Permeable walking and cycling links to make short distance trips attractive and safe New, high quality cycle link has been secured between Pinhoe and Broadclyst, which will connect into the primary cycle network providing direct access to the city centre Improved links and connections into existing routes and planned routes at Monkerton to provide ease of access to Pinhoe village, schools, jobs and leisure pursuits Improved access and facilities at the rail station, including toucan crossing near Parker s Cross Lane and secure cycle parking Half hour rail service between Pinhoe and the city centre will be possible (subject to revenue support) following frequency improvements between Paignton & St. James Park in 2016 Park and Change facility serving rural communities east of the double mini roundabouts Enhanced bus routes, using bus gates / priority measures to avoid congestion points and improve journey time reliability Improved bus service provision providing greater choice of destinations, e.g. to east of Exeter and Exeter Business Park Effective travel planning (residential and workplace) Village centre enhancement scheme to improve local environment and address local traffic management issues Soft traffic calming and safety measures on Chancel Lane to better manage traffic flows and discourage increased traffic Safety measures to manage traffic across Chancel Lane bridge Harrington Lane to Exhibition Way link road to relieve pressure on Church Hill, Beacon Lane and Chancel Lane Widen approach to Pinhoe Sainsbury s junction to manage traffic using Exhibition Way Upgrade of Langaton Lane east of the motorway to remove some East of Exeter bound trips from Pinhoe Village New East-West Link Road between Cumberland Way and Tithebarn Lane to remove some trips from Station Road too double mini roundabouts Stopping up of Pinn Lane south east of East-West link road to reduce rat running into Exeter Business Park 14

15 Figures 15

16 DATE January 2011 DESIGNED MC CHECKED JH Pinhoe Area Developments SCALE NTS FIGURE 1

17 DATE January 2011 DESIGNED MC CHECKED JH Pinhoe Area Constraints (dashed) & Improvements (solid) SCALE NTS FIGURE 2

18 DATE January 2011 DESIGNED MC CHECKED JH Queuing at Double Mini Roundabouts SCALE NTS FIGURE 3

19 DATE January 2011 DESIGNED DC CHECKED JH East-West Link Road SCALE NTS FIGURE 4

20 Monkerton Study Area Pinhoe Area Access Strategy DATE January 2011 DESIGNED MC CHECKED JH Base Year 2008 Counts SCALE NTS FIGURE 5

21 DATE January 2011 DESIGNED MC CHECKED JH Impact of Pinhoe Developments SCALE NTS FIGURE 6

22 DATE January 2011 DESIGNED MC CHECKED JH Impact of Pinhoe Developments with new Road Infrastructure SCALE NTS FIGURE 7