Technical note. 1. Background. 2. Document Purpose. Project: A350 Chippenham Dualling

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1 Project: A350 Chippenham Dualling Subject: Benefits Realisation Plan & Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Date: 14 February Background Restrictions to the capacity of the A350 to the north of Chippenham create congestion on the approaches from the M4 Junction 17 and Chippenham Bypass West Cepen Way. This causes significant delays during peak hours to private car and goods vehicle traffic when accessing the town and the A350 corridor through the County from the north, and when bypassing Chippenham to access the M4 corridor from the south. The proposed improvement to the A350 comprises three elements; Dualling A350 southbound carriageway between Jackson s Lane and Malmesbury Road roundabout; Improvements to the Malmesbury Road roundabout; Dualling A350 West Cepen Way in both directions between the Malmesbury Road and Badger roundabouts; and Minor improvements to the Badger Roundabout. These four elements form the basis for a funding application to the Department for Transport (DfT) within the Local Pinch Point Fund (LPPF); a fund designed to support transport schemes which provide new or improved links to key economic sites... or which tackle congestion or address the condition of highway structures that are near to the point of becoming a barrier to access. The proposed improvements to the A350 corridor directly address the first two issues covered by the LPPF, with attention given to the reduction in congestion for local and sub-regional traffic and the facilitation of new developments identified in the Chippenham Core Strategy, especially the North Chippenham and South West Chippenham Strategic Sites. 2. Document Purpose This document serves two key purposes, setting out both a draft Benefits Realisation Plan and a draft Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the A350 Chippenham Dualling. The Benefits Realisation Plan identifies the potential benefits of the scheme and the way in which these benefits will be planned for, tracked and realised through scheme implementation. The Monitoring and Evaluation Plan identifies more broadly how actual scheme delivery, including wider scheme impacts, construction and budget management, are to be evaluated. This is a working document, submitted in draft form alongside the LPPF application and which will be updated as the scheme is implemented. The document will be kept under review throughout scheme implementation. This document relates only to scheme implementation, following the allocation of funds by the DfT. 1

2 3. Benefits Realisation Plan The Benefits Realisation Plan is designed to enable benefits that are expected to be derived from the scheme to be planned for, tracked and realised. The benefits that are expected are identified. The Plan then details the key activities that are required to manage the successful realisation of these benefits what needs to be done, when and by whom. This section of the document: Summarises the scheme objectives and associated expected outcomes, as a Benefits Realisation Plan can only really be developed if there is a clear set of objectives; Outlines the benefit measurement methods and associated data requirements; and Outlines the responsibilities and resources required to oversee the Plan. The Benefits Realisation Plan is currently owned by the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO), although ownership can be reviewed and delegated as necessary. It is the owner s responsibility to ensure that the benefits are aligned with the study objectives and that appropriate monitoring processes are adopted Expected Benefits The A350 Chippenham Dualling scheme objectives have been used to develop the desired outputs and outcomes for the scheme. These desired outputs and outcomes are the actual benefits that are expected to be derived from the scheme and are directly linked to the original set of objectives: Desired outputs tangible effects that are funded and produced directly as a result of the scheme; and/or Desired outcomes final impacts brought about by the scheme in the short, medium and long term. The scheme objectives and desired outputs / outcomes are summarised in Table 1 and provide the starting point for the development of the Benefits Realisation Plan. Table 1 Scheme Objectives, Desired Outputs and Outcomes Scheme Objective Desired Outputs Desired Outcomes Improve access to a development sites that have the potential to create housing Improve access to a development sites that have the potential to create jobs Improve access to urban employment centres Ease congestion / bottlenecks Improve journey time reliability on a regional strategic lorry route Improve resilience of the primary road network A scheme that provides additional highway capacity in the area surrounding the North Chippenham Strategic Site A scheme that integrates well with the surrounding road network, including any changes made as part of the North Chippenham Strategic Site Reduced highway journey times along the A350, both northbound and southbound between Plough Lane and Badger Roundabout Reduced delays on the A350 approaches to the Malmesbury Road Roundabout Improved journey time reliability for all vehicle types along the A350, both northbound and southbound between Plough Lane and Badger Roundabout Healthy levels of business premise occupation within the North Chippenham Strategic Site. 2

3 3.2. Benefit Measurement Methods To determine whether the scheme benefits are being realised, the desired outputs and outcomes have been converted into measurable indicators of scheme benefits, as set out in Table 2. The data required to measure the extent to which benefits are being realised are also shown in Table 2 Benefits have been classified as quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative benefits are those which can be measured in terms of specific numerical values on a continuous scale, whether in absolute or percentage terms, whereas qualitative benefits are measured in category-based or descriptive terms. Ref # Table 2 Benefit Assessment Indicators Benefit (Desired Output / Benefit Indicator Target Type Outcome) Desired Outputs 01 Additional highway capacity in the area surrounding the North Chippenham Strategic Site. Number of additional lanes provided along the A350, southbound approaching Malmesbury Rd Rbt and in both directions between Malmesbury Rd and Badger Rbt One additional general traffic lane on the A350 links identified Specific Data Owner Requirements Qualitative None All owners to be defined following scheme approval 04 Reduced delays on the A350 approaches to the Malmesbury Rd Rbt Reduced time spent in queued traffic approaching the Rbt on West Cepen Way and Malmesbury Rd (AM & PM peak hours) 30% reduction on approaches identified, one year after scheme opening 02 Scheme that integrates Appropriate signage and No reported Qualitative None TBC well with the lane allocations to enable safety concerns surrounding road safe travel along the A350 network Desired Outcomes 03 Reduced highway Reduced journey times 15% reduction Quantitative Journey time TBC journey times along the between Plough Lane and between points surveys (pre- A350 Badger Roundabout, identified, one and postopening) northbound & southbound year after scheme (AM & PM peak hours) opening time TBC (prepost- Quantitative Journey surveys and opening) 05 Improved journey time Reduced standard TBC a target Quantitative Journey time TBC reliability along the deviation of journey times can be set surveys (pre- A350 (AM & PM peak hours) following review and postopening) of baseline data 06 Healthy levels of Percentage of occupied 90% occupancy Quantitative Business TBC business premise business premises within 5 years of premise occupation within the (measured by floor area). site opening occupancy data North Chippenham Strategic Site 3.3. Baseline Data Requirements Baseline data collection, which will allow the pre-scheme opening situation to be quantified, is required for benefit assessment indicators #03, #04 and #05. Journey time data will be collected along the A350 during 2013 and certainly before construction commences. It is anticipated that readily available journey time and other information would be used, avoiding the need for specific additional surveys. Hence, data such as strat-e-gis or other journey time data, e.g. from TomTom, would form the basis for the journey time dataset Responsibilities and Resources The overall Benefits Realisation Plan is owned by the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO), with responsibility for overseeing particular benefits delegated as necessary. The owners for each benefit will be defined following scheme approval, with ownership remaining with the SRO at present. 3

4 The owners will be responsible for tracking the benefits being realised and for reporting any exceptions to the SRO. This will allow early identification of any particular areas where benefits are not being realised as expected. The SRO will then appoint someone with sufficient expertise to oversee remedial actions to try to bring benefits back in line with expectations. 4. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan 4.1. Introduction The purpose of the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan is to identify how actual scheme delivery, including wider scheme impacts, construction and budget management, are to be evaluated. The Monitoring and Evaluation Plan therefore has a wider remit than the Benefits Realisation Plan. The Monitoring and Evaluation Plan will culminate with a brief Post-Implementation Review approximately one year after scheme opening. This section of the document identifies the data collection requirements beyond those identified for the Benefits Realisation Plan and sets out the content of the Post-Implementation Review. The Monitoring and Evaluation Plan is currently owned by the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO), although ownership will be reviewed and delegated as necessary Scheme Implementation The first part of the Post-Implementation Review will focus on scheme delivery, covering the following aspects: Construction including the efficiency and cost of the infrastructure contractor procurement exercise, and the extent to which the construction programme was delivered within the estimated timescales and budget; and Project Management including the cost of project management resources, as well as the extent to which overall scheme timescales were adhered. This review will be completed approximately one year of scheme opening. A key output of the review will be the lessons learnt log, which will assist in planning and delivering future schemes. To ensure that an accurate and informative Post-Implementation Review can be undertaken, the SRO will maintain detailed records in relation to procurement processes, the scheme budget and expenditure and project management meetings Wider Impacts The second part of the Post-Implementation Review will focus on the wider set of impacts, whether positive or negative, that have been created by scheme: Scheme Benefits a summary of the formal benefits review, which is planned for January 2016; and Unexpected (Dis)benefits identifying any additional impacts that were not planned for as part of the A350 scheme. 4

5 5. Delivery Schedule Benefits realisation and monitoring and evaluation will be an ongoing process throughout scheme implementation and will continue once the A350 Chippenham Dualling has been implemented. The draft delivery schedule in Table 3 shows the timescales proposed. Table 3 Delivery Schedule Task Pre-Construction Timescale Draft Benefits Realisation Plan and Monitoring & February 2013 Evaluation Plan submitted Finalise plans and appoint owners April 2013 Baseline journey time data assembly September November 2013 During Construction Data assembly for Monitoring & Evaluation Plan relating to scheme delivery and project management September 2013 December 2014 Post-Construction Data assembly for Benefits Realisation Plan September November 2015 Formal benefits review January 2016 Post-Implementation review March