North Sprowston & Old Catton Transport Assessment
Document Title: North Sprowston & Old Catton Transport Assessment Version: Date:
Final
16th October 2012
Prepared by:
David Paddon
Approved by:
Mark Fitch
SKM Colin Buchanan is part of the Sinclair Knight Merz Group. Sinclair Knight Merz ABN 37 001 024 095 New City Court 20 St. Thomas Street London, SE1 9RS
Tel: Web:
+44 (0) 207 939 6100 www.skmcolinbuchanan.com
COPYRIGHT: The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Sinclair Knight Merz Pty Ltd. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Sinclair Knight Merz constitutes an infringement of copyright. LIMITATION: This report has been prepared on behalf of and for the exclusive use of Sinclair Knight Merz Pty Ltd’s Client, and is subject to and issued in connection with the provisions of the agreement between Sinclair Knight Merz and its Client. Sinclair Knight Merz accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report by any third party.
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Document history and status Revision
Date issued th
Reviewed by
Approved by
1
10 Jun 2012
D Paddon
D Paddon
2
2nd Oct 2012
3 4 5
Date approved th
10 Jun 2012
Revision type 1st Draft 2nd Draft for Client Review
D Paddon
M Fitch
th
D Paddon
M Fitch
10 Oct 2012
Final
th
D Paddon
M Fitch
11 Oct 2012
Final - Revision
th
D Paddon
D Paddon
16 Oct 2012
Final - Revision
10 Oct 2012 11 Oct 2012 16 Oct 2012
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Beyond Green
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Beyond Green
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6 x paper (final)
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16 October 2012
Last saved:
16 October 2012 06:30 PM
File name:
North Sprowston & Old Catton TA
Author:
Adrian Forte / Ian Gardner / David Paddon
Project manager:
David Paddon
Name of organisation:
Beyond Green
Name of project:
North Sprowston & Old Catton
Name of document:
Transport Assessment
Document version:
Final
Project number:
VN18592.01
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Contents
1.
Introduction................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1
General ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2
Format of the Report ...................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.
Scope of Report ............................................................................................................................................................ 3
2.1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3
2.2
Consultations .................................................................................................................................................................. 3
2.3
Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3
3.
Policy Context............................................................................................................................................................... 6
3.1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
3.2
National Policy ................................................................................................................................................................ 6
4.
Existing Situation ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
4.1
The Site ........................................................................................................................................................................ 12
4.2
Surrounding Local Highway Network ........................................................................................................................... 13
4.3
Public Transport ........................................................................................................................................................... 16
4.4
Pedestrian and Cycling Facilities.................................................................................................................................. 19
4.5
Baseline Traffic ............................................................................................................................................................. 23
5.
Highway and Transport Infrastructure Proposals ................................................................................................... 29
5.1
Norwich Area Transport Strategy (NATS) .................................................................................................................... 29
6.
Development Proposals............................................................................................................................................. 33
6.1
Proposed Development ................................................................................................................................................ 33
6.2
Development Phasing .................................................................................................................................................. 35
6.3
Access .......................................................................................................................................................................... 36
6.4
Parking ......................................................................................................................................................................... 38
6.5
Bus Proposals .............................................................................................................................................................. 40
6.6
Service Development ................................................................................................................................................... 42
6.7
Bus service provision summary .................................................................................................................................... 45
6.8
Bus service provision timeline ...................................................................................................................................... 46
6.9
Cycling and Pedestrian Proposals................................................................................................................................ 51
6.10
Sustainable Travel Plan................................................................................................................................................ 52
6.11
Area Wide Travel Planning (AWTP) ............................................................................................................................. 53
6.12
Refuse Collection / Emergency Service Strategy ......................................................................................................... 55
6.13
Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP)........................................................................................................... 55
7.
Traffic Growth, Trip Generation and Distribution.................................................................................................... 61
7.1
Committed Development & Background Growth .......................................................................................................... 61
7.2
Proposed Trip Rates & Trip Generation ....................................................................................................................... 62
7.3
Trip Distribution ............................................................................................................................................................ 66
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7.4
Trip Generation............................................................................................................................................................. 67
7.5
Impact of the Northern Distributor Route (NNDR) ........................................................................................................ 68
8.
Highway Capacity Assessment................................................................................................................................. 69
8.1
Proposed assessments ................................................................................................................................................ 69
8.2
Modelling ...................................................................................................................................................................... 69
8.3
2012 Baseline ............................................................................................................................................................... 71
8.4
2012 Construction Traffic Impacts ................................................................................................................................ 75
8.5
2017 assessment without the NNDR............................................................................................................................ 76
8.6
2017 Development Trip Generation ............................................................................................................................. 77
8.7
2017 Sensitivity Test .................................................................................................................................................... 84
8.8
2032 Traffic Impacts ..................................................................................................................................................... 89
8.9
2032 Traffic Impacts ..................................................................................................................................................... 93
8.10
Assessment of Public Transport Provision ................................................................................................................... 98
8.11
Development impacts on Pedestrian and Cycle Amenity ............................................................................................. 99
8.12
Parking ......................................................................................................................................................................... 99
8.13
Site Access ................................................................................................................................................................. 100
8.14
St Faith’s Road ........................................................................................................................................................... 102
9.
Mitigation................................................................................................................................................................... 103
9.1
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 103
9.2
Construction ............................................................................................................................................................... 103
9.3
Completion of Phase 1 in 2017 .................................................................................................................................. 104
10.
Summary and Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 108
10.1
Summary .................................................................................................................................................................... 108
10.2
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................ 111
Table 1: Broadland District Council Car and Cycle Parking Standards .......................................................................................... 11 Table 2: Existing Bus Services ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 Table 3: List of Surveyed Junctions ................................................................................................................................................ 25 Table 4: List of ATC Sites ............................................................................................................................................................... 27 Table 5: 2012 Baseline AADT, AAWT and %HGV Flows Within the Study Area. .......................................................................... 28 Table 6: Development Phasing Breakdown .................................................................................................................................... 35 Table 7: Proposed Bus Service Provision ....................................................................................................................................... 41 Table 8: Proposed Bus Service Phasing......................................................................................................................................... 46 Table 9: Construction plant and delivery vehicle requirements over a typical year ........................................................................ 58 Table 10: Committed & JCS Growth Sites ...................................................................................................................................... 61 Table 11: NCC Trip Rates to determine background growth .......................................................................................................... 62 Table 12: Proposed Development Trip Rates ................................................................................................................................. 64
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Table 13: Accumulated Traffic Generation 2017............................................................................................................................. 64 Table 14: Accumulated Traffic Generation 2032............................................................................................................................. 65 Table 15: Proposed Development Trip Rates ................................................................................................................................. 66 Table 16: Worst Case Traffic Generation for Phase 1 ................................................................................................................... 66 Table 17: Classification of Impacts ................................................................................................................................................. 70 Table 18: Potential Construction Traffic Flows................................................................................................................................ 75 Table 19: 2017 Future Baseline AAWT and AADT Flows without NNDR. ...................................................................................... 76 Table 20: Development Vehicle Trips in 2017 ................................................................................................................................ 78 Table 21: 2017 Base + Development AAWT and AADT Flows without the NNDR......................................................................... 78 Table 22: Percentage Increase in Link Flows in 2017 due to Development Traffic ........................................................................ 79 Table 23: 2032 Future Baseline AAWT and AADT Flows with NNDR. ........................................................................................... 90 Table 24: Development Vehicle Trips in 2032 ................................................................................................................................ 91 Table 25: 2032 Future Baseline + Development AAWT and AADT Flows with the NNDR............................................................. 91 Table 26: Percentage Increase in Link Flows in 2032 due to Development Traffic ........................................................................ 93
Figure 1: Site Location .................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 2: Local Highway Network ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 3: Current Norwich Bus Services (September 2012) ........................................................................................................... 17 Figure 4: Norwich Park and Ride .................................................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 5: Existing Pedestrian Routes .............................................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 6: Existing Norwich Cycle Routes ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Figure 7: Junction Location Map ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 8: ATC Location Map ........................................................................................................................................................... 26 Figure 9: Proposed NNDR Alignment ............................................................................................................................................. 30 Figure 10: Core Bus Route Proposals ............................................................................................................................................ 32 Figure 11: Neighbourhood Plan ...................................................................................................................................................... 35 Figure 12: Site Access and Street Hierarchy Plan .......................................................................................................................... 38 Figure 13: Proposed Bus Routing for Phase 1 and 2...................................................................................................................... 48 Figure 14: Proposed Bus Routing for Phase 3 and 4...................................................................................................................... 49 Figure 15: Proposed Bus Routing for Phase 5 and 6...................................................................................................................... 50 Figure 16: Regional Routing for Construction Deliveries prior to opening of the NNDR ................................................................. 56 Figure 17: Regional Routing of Construction Deliveries after construction of NNDR. .................................................................... 57 Figure 18: Construction plant and delivery vehicle requirements over a typical year ..................................................................... 59
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1.
Introduction
1.1
General
1.1.1
SKM Colin Buchanan (SKMCB) has been commissioned by Beyond Green to prepare a Transport Assessment (TA) in support of a sustainable urban extension development planning application in the Broadland District, Norfolk.
1.1.2
The majority of the development site is existing Greenfield which lies to the north of Norwich City Centre and east of Norwich Airport.
1.1.3
The proposal for the application is for a mixed use (residential led) development comprising of up to 16,000sqm of business/commercial (B1/B2), up to 9,200sqm of retail (A1-A5), up to 1,000sqm of hotel (C1), up to 5,000sqm of education (D1), up to 2,000sqm of other community use (D1) and up to 3,518 residential dwellings (C3) with four principle associated accesses to the highway network.
1.1.4
The development is intended to be brought forward over 6 phases. Each phase is estimated to take 30 to 48 months with the whole development being completed between 15 and 20 years from commencement.
1.2
Format of the Report
1.2.1
The purpose of the assessment is to report on the impact of all modes that the proposed development will have on the local transport network. It considers the suitability of access to the development for pedestrians, cyclists, sustainable transport, private vehicles and service vehicles. It determines the level of traffic expected to be attracted to the proposed development during peak hours and examines its impact on the highway network in terms of operational efficiency and capacity.
1.2.2
This TA has been composed in accordance with DfT’s “Transport Assessment Best Practice” guidance document and reports on the traffic implications and impacts of the development by comparing the existing and proposed conditions of the local surrounding highway network.
1.2.3
Following this chapter, the report is structured as follows: •
Chapter 2: Scope of Report – outlines the scope agreed in consultation with NCC Highways.
•
Chapter 3: Policy Context – reviews relevant national, regional and local policy.
•
Chapter 4: Existing Situation – outlines the existing transportation conditions of the site and surrounding area.
•
Chapter 5: Highway and Transport Infrastructure Proposals
•
Chapter 6: Development Proposals – details the quantum of development, access and parking proposed development sustainability measures.
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•
Chapter 7: Trip Generation and Distribution – reviews the trip rates, traffic generation and distribution.
•
Chapter 8: Transport Network Assessment – assesses the impacts of all travel modes on the operational capacity of the transport network.
•
Chapter 9: Possible Mitigation Measures.
•
Chapter 10: Summary and Conclusions.
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2.
Scope of Report
2.1
Introduction
2.1.1
The scope of this assessment was agreed in consultation with Norfolk County Council (NCC) and Broadlands District Council. A summary of the scoping discussions are attached in Appendix A.
2.2
Consultations
2.2.1
A record of meetings and relevant email correspondence is attached in Appendix A.
2.3
Summary
2.3.1
The key assumptions are summarized below.
2.3.2
For the purposes of this assessment, the Norwich Northern Distributor Road will be implemented in 2017.
2.3.3
The focus of the scoping discussions was to agree the following key assumptions for the assessment and the methodology to determine the impact of the development vehicle trips on the local highway network.
2.3.4
The area of investigation as shown in Chapter 4 is broadly defined by the four radial routes, namely St. Faiths Road, Buxton/Spixworth Road, North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road from the northern limits of the development boundary to the A1042 Norwich Outer Ring Road. The A1042 Outer Ring Road is considered from its junction with A140 Cromer Road to Mousehold Lane / Salhouse Road junction.
2.3.5
The principle links within this area were surveyed by Automatic Traffic Counters (ATCs) to determine the background traffic levels. The surveyed locations are shown in Figure 8. Similarly the junctions as shown in Figure 7 where surveyed by video cameras to determine the classified turning counts at each location
2.3.6
The individual junctions are modelled with standard industry software to determine the impact on the junctions due to future background growth, and the impact of the proposed development with and without the Norwich Northern Distributor Route (NNDR).
2.3.7
The following assessment years are to be considered:
2.3.8
•
2017 with and without the NNDR
•
2022 with and without the NNDR
•
2032 with the NNDR
This is based on the comparable assessment years in the Traffic Forecasting Report undertaken for NNDR Modelling Report in September 2011.
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2.3.9
The background growth for the three assessment years is determined by the vehicle trips generated by committed development and Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP) proposed development locations with the North East sector of Norwich as identified in the Joint Core Strategy (JCS). The committed and allocated sites within the areas contained by A1067 Drayton Road in the west and A47 Yarmouth Road in the east are considered.
2.3.10
The list of developments, the programme of implementation, and methodology to determine the background growth in vehicle trips is set out in Chapter 6.
2.3.11
The impact of the NNDR is determined by the traffic adjustment factors provided by NCC. These factors are determined by the differences in the predicted AADT traffic flows for years 2017 and 2032 due the implementation of the NNDR extracted from NNDR Traffic Forecasting Report. The adjustment factors for 2022 are extrapolated from the above two assessment years.
2.3.12
The development trip generation onto the adjacent highway network is based on the trip rates and trip distribution set out in Chapter 7.
2.3.13
A Household Survey and Traffic surveys were conducted at an agreed residential location at a similar location to the proposed development in relationship to Norwich City Centre to determine comparable trip rates. These trips rates were adjusted to reflect the impact of a mixed use development and the sustainable transport strategy.
2.3.14
It was agreed with NCC to investigate a worst case traffic scenario by assessing the impact of the residential and commercial development as stand-alone developments with no internalisation and sustainable travel measures. This is conducted as a sensitivity test for 2017 scenario.
2.3.15
However the trip distribution alters for each assessment year due to the impact of the proposed internal highway infrastructure and the implementation of the NNDR.
2.3.16
The following north – south trip distribution factors were extracted from the NCC SATURN model and were provided by the NCC: •
Without the NNDR, 74% of development traffic will travel southbound; and
•
26% will travel northbound;
•
With the NNDR, 58% of development traffic will travel southbound; and
•
42% will travel northbound.
2.3.17
For the assessment year 2017, no internal east west link is provided and the agreed trip rates are directly applied.
2.3.18
Post 2017, the internal east west link between North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road is complete and residents will utilise this link to make their route choices. The choice of routes is based on the Census 2001 travel to work data for Sprowston Central ward. The analysis of this
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data shows the number of travel to work trips to other wards in Norwich. The percentage of work place destinations can be calculated to determine the percentage of residents who travel by car to work in the North, West and Southwest, Town Centre and East of Norwich and Broadlands. 2.3.19
On completion of the development, the internal east west street links all four radial routes, though access to St Faiths is limited to public transport, emergency and refuse vehicles. This will influence the trip distribution since residents have the option to travel further west or east along the link before making the choice to travel towards the Outer Ring Road and Town Centre.
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3.
Policy Context
3.1
Introduction
3.1.1
This chapter provides an examination of the current transportation and land use policies which may relate to the proposed development in Broadland District, Norwich; covering national, regional and local policy. In particular, this section will review:
3.2
•
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
•
Manual for Street (MfS) and Manual for Streets 2 (MfS2)
•
The Future of Transport: A Network for 2030
•
Norwich Local Plan
•
Joint Core Strategy (JCS) for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk
•
Northern City Centre Area Action Plan (NCCAAP)
•
Norwich Area Transport Strategy (NATS)
•
Norfolk County Council Local Transport Plan (LTP)
National Policy National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
3.2.1
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) document sets out national planning policies for England. It supersedes and replaces almost all previous national planning policy statements (PPS) and planning policy guidance notes (PPG), including PPG13 Transport.
3.2.2
National Policy in relation to Transport is set out in Chapter 4 of the NPPF, Paragraphs 29 to 41.
3.2.3
Paragraph 32 of the NPPF notes that all developments that generate significant amounts of movement should be accompanied by a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment and that plans and decisions should take account of whether:
3.2.4
•
‘The opportunities for sustainable transport modes have been taken up depending on the nature and location of the site, to reduce the need for major transport infrastructure;
•
Safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all people;
•
Improvements can be undertaken within the transport network that are cost effective and limit the significant impacts of the development. Development should only be prevented or refused on transport grounds where the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe’.
Similarly, Paragraph 34 notes (inter alia) ‘Plans and decisions should ensure developments that generate significant movement are located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised’.
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3.2.5
3.2.6
Paragraph 35 discusses the design of development noting that, where practical, developments should inter alia: •
Accommodate the efficient delivery of goods and supplies;
•
Give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements, and have access to high quality public transport facilities;
•
Create safe and secure layouts which minimize conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians, avoiding street clutter;
•
Incorporate facilities for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles;
•
Consider the needs of people with disabilities by all modes of transport.
Paragraph 39 of the NPPF discusses what should be taken into account by local authorities when setting their parking standards. Therefore, with the replacement of PPG13, there are now no national parking standards and as such, it is considered that local council parking policy should be used to source the most up to date and appropriate standards for development. Manual for Streets (MfS) / Manual for Streets 2 (MfS2) (Guidance)
3.2.7
Streets and roads make up around three-quarters of all public space – their design, appearance, and the way they function have a huge impact on the quality of people’s lives.
3.2.8
The overall aim of MfS and MfS2 is to extend the advantages of good design to streets and roads in and around residential areas and to provide an environment that improves the quality of life.
3.2.9
By rethinking the way high streets and non-trunk roads are designed, the fabric of public spaces and the way people behave can be changed. It means embracing a new approach to design and breaking away from somewhat inflexible standards and traditional engineering solutions. The Future of Transport: A Network for 2030
3.2.10
The Government published their Transport White Paper in July 2004. The White Paper sets out a vision for the transport networks of the future. More specifically to this proposal the paper proposes: •
A safe, reliable and free-flowing road network, enabling efficient movement of goods and people;
•
Improved travel information, ensuring that people have access to relevant information before and during travel, as well as enabling network managers to target their efforts effectively;
•
Good value bus services that are punctual, reliable, flexible, and convenient and tailored to meet local needs. Buses are seen as the key means of addressing accessibility and congestion issues and should be at the heart of LTPs;
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•
Making walking and cycling convenient, attractive and realistic choices for many more short journeys, especially those to work and to school.
Norwich Local Plan 3.2.11
The City of Norwich replacement local plan (Local Plan) was adopted in November 2004. It contains the policies and proposals for development in the city. The Local Plan provides policy guidance for developers and the council’s own development management service on where and what kind of development may be permitted.
3.2.12
The key transport objectives stemming from the Local Plan include;
3.2.13
•
TRA3: A modal shift from car to walking, cycling and public transport will be sought as part of development proposals through sustainable measures.
•
TRA6: Developers will provide no more car parking spaces than the maximum allowed for in the Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).
•
TRA7: Developers will provide cycle parking to at least the levels contained within the Standards SPD.
•
TRA14: The quality of the existing pedestrian environment should be enhanced where possible.
•
TRA15: The quality of the cycling environment should be enhanced where possible.
•
TRA 16: The efficiency and attractiveness of public transport services will be improved.
The Local Plan is gradually being superseded by the Local Development Framework (LDF). Joint Core Strategy (JCS) for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk
3.2.14
The Joint Core Strategy (JCS) is one of the key policy documents that make up the Local Development Framework within Norwich. The document has been prepared by the three councils of Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk, working together with Norfolk County Council as the Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP).
3.2.15
The JCS sets out the long-term vision and objectives for the area, including strategic policies for steering and shaping development. Note: Following a legal challenge, parts of the text of the adopted JCS were subsequently remitted by High Court Order and reverted to the presubmission stage of the plan process, to be treated as not having been subject to examination and adoption. Following further work to address the High Court ruling, a version of the Joint Core Strategy containing proposed submission text which, if found sound at a further examination and subsequently adopted, would serve to reinstate the Growth Triangle into the th development plan, was published for consultation on 10 August 2012.
3.2.16
Policy 6 within the JCS aims to enhance the role of Norwich as a Regional Transport Node, particularly through the implementation of the Norwich Area Transportation Strategy, and will improve access to rural areas. This will be achieved by:
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•
Implementation of the Norwich Area Transportation Strategy (NATS) including construction of the Northern Distributor Road (NNDR);
•
Significant improvement to the bus, cycling and walking network, including Bus Rapid Transit on key routes in the Norwich area enhancing the Norwich Park & Ride system;
•
Promoting enhancement of rail services, including improved journey time and reliability to London and Cambridge, and innovative use of the local rail network;
•
Provision of an A140 Long Stratton Bypass;
•
Promoting improvements to the A11 and A47;
•
Concentration of development close to essential services and facilities to encourage walking and cycling as the primary means of travel with public transport for wider access;
•
Continuing to improve public transport accessibility to and between Main Towns and Key Service Centre’s.
Norfolk County Council Local Transport Plan (LTP) 3.2.17
This Local Transport Plan describes Norfolk County Council's transport strategy for the period 2006 to 2021, including an implementation programme for the period 2006 to 2011.
3.2.18
The LTP overall vision for the Norfolk area is:
3.2.19
“Norfolk is a well-connected place in which to live and do business and to visit, and is known as a national leader in making the transport system safer and reducing the impact transport has on climate change and the wider environment.”
3.2.20
The strategic approach within the LTP is to reduce the need to travel and encourage and help people and businesses to get to places in a more sustainable manner while reducing congestion, protecting the environment and enhancing road safety.
3.2.21
The main thematic strategies that come through within the LTP are:
3.2.22
•
Delivering sustainable growth - Integrating spatial, economic and transport planning by improving accessibility to reduce the remoteness of Norwich. In particular, by improving road network connections and public transport within sub-regions.
•
Improving accessibility through enhancing local connections and promote better accessibility to jobs and services especially by public transport, walking and cycling.
The LTP acknowledges that Norwich is an area where growth will be focused and recognizes the importance of: •
Providing essential infrastructure, including a Northern Distributor Road (NNDR) and improvements to the A11 and A47 trunk roads, needed to accommodate growth and support the development of the Norwich area as a sustainable community.
•
Supporting Norwich’s role as a Regional Interchange Centre, and the role of surrounding market towns.
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•
Carrying forward the recently agreed Norwich Area Transportation Strategy for the city built-up area, including extending the pedestrian dominated area of the city centre and promoting travel choice and accessibility by all modes.
Norwich Area Transport Strategy (NATS) 3.2.23
The NATS document sets out a transportation strategy for the Norwich Area until 2021. It covers the city of Norwich, its suburbs and the first ring of surrounding villages. The strategy has been prepared by Norfolk County Council, in partnership with Norwich City Council, Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council.
3.2.24
The key elements within the strategy relating to transportation include: •
Improving accessibility in the Norwich area by improving facilities for all modes of transport, improving access and accommodating growth in the number of trips by means other than the car (Policy 8);
•
Improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists (Policies 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14);
•
Improving public transport routes, information, frequency and reliability (Policies 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 & 21);
•
Improving traffic movement through policies on combating congestion (Policy 46 - 56);
•
Providing access for everyone through appropriately designed infrastructure and promoting buses with access for people with disabilities (Policies 75 – 80).
Broadland District Council Policy 3.2.25
Broadland District Council adopted the Joint Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD) in March 2011. The JCS is the strategic Development Plan Document in the Local Development Framework (LDF), setting the principles for future development in Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk between now and 2026.
3.2.26
Broadland District Council adopted the Supplementary Planning Document on car and cycle parking standards in June 2007. This SPG provides the current parking standards for development within the District. Table 1 displays the maximum car parking standards permissible within the District.
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Table 1: Broadland District Council Car and Cycle Parking Standards Land Use
Car Parking Standards (Max) Average of 1.5 spaces per 1 bedroom unit.
C3 – Residential*
2 spaces a unit for a 2 or 3 bedroom unit min 3 – max 4 spaces a unit for a 4 or more bedroom unit – depending if ‘double garage’ design. For housing in areas of good accessibility, an average of 2 spaces per unit or less will be provided over the development site.
Cycle Parking Standards (Min) None for individual houses with garages or rear gardens for a garden shed. For flats and developments with communal parking = Visitors 1 space per unit. Residents = 1 space per 4 units.
Visitors = 1 space per 100sqm. B1 – Business
1 space per 30 sqm GFA Staff = 1 space per 50sqm.
*For the purposes of residential standards, good accessibility is defined as being within 200m walking distance of a bus stop served by buses of a frequency of 15 minutes or less to town, district or a local service.
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4.
Existing Situation
4.1
The Site
4.1.1
The development site is located adjacent the communities of Sprowston and Old Catton within Broadland District, Norfolk. The majority of the site in its existing form is agricultural Greenfield land which is located to the north of Norwich City Centre.
4.1.2
The village of Spixworth is located approximately 1km to the north west of the site and Rackheath is located approximately 1.5km to the east of the site.
4.1.3
The site location is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Site Location
Source: Beyond Green
4.1.4
Figure 1 is also illustrated in Appendix B, drawing number NS&OC 101.
4.1.5
Norwich Airport is located to the west of the site and can be accessed via the A140 Holt Road.
4.1.6
Immediately to the north of the site runs the proposed route of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NNDR).
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4.2
Surrounding Local Highway Network
4.2.1
A total of three principal routes extend through or adjacent to the Site in a general northeast / southwest direction. These comprise of: •
Wroxham Road (A1151), which forms the eastern boundary of the Site;
•
North Walsham Road (B1150), which passes through the centre of the Site; and
•
Buxton Road, which passes through the western area of the Site.
4.2.2
Please note that for the purposes of this report, the Outer Ring Road provides a general nomenclature for A1042 Mile Cross Lane/Chartwell Road/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane between the junction with the A140 Cromer Road and the junction with Salhouse Road.
4.2.3
Wroxham Road (A1151) is predominantly a 7m wide two-way single carriageway road extending from the Outer Ring Road in the south west to Wroxham in the northeast. It is a strategic arterial route into Norwich Town Centre. The Park and Ride service is accessed off Wroxham Road, just north of the Blue Boar Roundabout. Wroxham Road provides to major strategic access route to Norwich.
4.2.4
North Walsham Road (B1150) is a 7.5m wide two-way single carriageway road operating through the centre of the Site in a north / south direction. North Walsham Road extends from the Outer Ring Road in the south (where it merges with Constitution Hill), to Coltishall in the north (where the B1150 joins B1354). It provides a regional access to Norwich, and an arterial route to the town centre.
4.2.5
Buxton Road is predominantly a 5.5m wide two-way single carriageway road, merging with Spixworth Road to the south, where the road connects with the Outer Ring Road. Buxton Road provides a local distributor route to Old Catton and access into Spixworth to the north.
4.2.6
In addition, the following are local access routes:
4.2.7
•
St Faith’s Road borders the western edge of the proposed development. St Faith’s Road is a narrow two-way single carriageway road extending from the Outer Ring Road in the south to Quaker Lane in the north.
•
Church Lane is a pedestrian and cycle route which runs from Red Hall Farm on the North Walsham Road to the church of St. Mary and St. Margaret in Sprowston. South of the church, Church Lane provides vehicular access from Barkers Lane to local residents, public open space and the allotments.
•
Beeston Lane runs in an east – west direction through the northern part of the Site. Beeston Lane is a narrow road, forming a priority junction with Buxton Road in the west and Wroxham Road in the east. Beeston Road crosses North Walsham Road at the Church Lane / North Walsham Road junction. Beeston Lane is an access only route for residents and agricultural use.
The section of the A1042 stretching from the A140 in the west to Salhouse Road in the east forms part of the Outer Ring Road on the northern side of Norwich. Generally, this section of the
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A1042 is two-way single carriageway with road widths varying from 8.5m to 10m. From west to east, the A1042 (Mile Cross Lane) forms a junction with A140 (Cromer Road) / Aylsham Road / Reepham Road in the west of this section. The A1042 (Mile Cross Lane) extends approximately 1km east of this junction, where it becomes Chartwell Road (A1042). Chartwell Road (A1042) forms a roundabout with Constitution Hill (B1150) approximately 1.8km east of its junction with the A140. Sprixworth Road leads off Chartwell Road approximately 200m west of the Chartwell Road / Constitution Hill roundabout. Chartwell Road (A1042) extends as far east as the A1042 / Wroxham Road / Sprowston Road roundabout, after which it becomes Mousehold Lane (A1042). Mousehold Lane (A1042) extends approximately 1.5km east of the Wroxham Road roundabout where it forms a crossroads with Salhouse Lane / Gurney Road / Heartsease Lane (A1042). The A1042 outer ring road continues eastbound as Heartsease Lane. 4.2.8
The A140 (Cromer Road) extends northbound from the A1042 (Mile Cross Lane) junction. The A140 is two-way single carriageway road, with road widths of approximately 9m. Cromer Road (A140) merges with Holt Road (A140), approximately 1km north its junction with the A1042. The A140 continues northbound to pass the western boundary of Norwich Airport.
4.2.9
Fifers Lane is a 7.5m wide, two-way single carriageway ‘C’ class residential road which operates in a east-west direction leading from Holt Road (A140) in the west to St Faith’s Road in the east.
4.2.10
George Hill is a 6m wide, two-way single carriageway ‘C’ Class road which extends approximately 200m from Spixworth Road in the west to Constitution Hill (B1150) in the east.
4.2.11
Salhouse Road is a 5.5m wide two-way single carriageway road extending from Mousehold Lane (A1042) in the southwest towards Salhouse in the northeast, where it merges with Norwich Road.
4.2.12
The identified routes are shown in Figure 2 and illustrated in Appendix B.
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Figure 2: Local Highway Network
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4.3
Public Transport Bus Services
4.3.1
Norwich has a well developed bus network with an extensive urban and interurban network that extends to nearby towns including Cromer, Fakenham, East Dereham, Wymondham and Great Yarmouth. A new bus station was opened in 2005 that provides a state of the art access point to bus services in the heart of Norwich.
4.3.2
Six park and ride sites are in operation around the city at various strategic locations that provide access to and from the City Centre. Over 3 million passengers use the Norwich Park and Ride sites each year and they help to reduce congestion in the City Centre.
4.3.3
The Airport and Sprowston Park and Ride sites are the nearest to the development site. Buses operate at least every 15 minutes on Monday to Saturdays and the limited stop service means that competitive journey times are offered to/ from the City Centre.
4.3.4
Sprowston Park and Ride site is located on the eastern edge of the proposed development site and as the service is open to the public this will help improve the sustainability of the site for residents who are within walking distance of the P&R site. The park and ride service offers a group saver return ticket which allows a car with 5 adults or 1 adult and 5 children to travel for ÂŁ4.20. The first stop on this service is Upper King Street in the City Centre.
4.3.5
Figure 3 displays the existing bus services as of the end of September 2012 that operate within Norwich City Centre and Figure 4 shows the location of existing Park & Ride facilities.
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Figure 3: Current Norwich Bus Services (September 2012)
Source: First Bus Group Figure 4: Norwich Park and Ride
Source: Norfolk County Council
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4.3.6
There are numerous bus services that operate within close proximity or pass through the proposed development site, providing links to and from the city centre and neighbouring areas.
4.3.7
Table 2 displays the services, typical weekday peak hour frequency and approximate journey times (from site to city centre) for the bus routes which are within an acceptable walking distance at least to part of the development. Table 2: Existing Bus Services Service No.
Route
Peak Hour Frequency
Journey Time
5A
Norwich - North Walsham
1
25 mins
13
Spixworth – City Centre Attleborough
2
11/11A
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital - City Centre – Sprowston Tesco
6
21/22
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital /University of East Anglia– City Centre – Old Catton – White Woman Lane
4
Sprowston P&R
Sprowston Road – Whitefriars – City Centre
4
210
Norwich - Frettenham - Buxton Walsham
1
Total
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5 min walk + 25 mins
15 min walk + 20 mins
20 mins
20 mins
18
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4.3.8
Table 2 shows that a total of 18 buses operate during the weekday peak hour within close proximity to the site. However, the journey times for these services vary depending on the proximity to the local bus stops.
4.3.9
Service No. 13 serves Buxton Road, White Woman Lane and North Walsham Road and operates at a frequency of one every 30 minutes. The service operates between Spixworth, Old Catton, City Centre and Mulbarton through the proposed development site using Buxton Road. This service is extended to Atteborough, south of Norwich.
4.3.10
Service No. 11/11A operates between the Sprowston Tesco, City Centre (via Wroxham Road), Eaton and Cringleford every 10 minutes during the day Monday to Saturday. During the evenings and on Sundays, the service operates every 30 minutes. Service 11A serves Cozens Hardy Road and Church Road. . This service is extended south of the city centre to provide a direct connection to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital via Cringleford.
4.3.11
Service No. 21/22 operates along White Woman Lane, Lodge Lane and St Faiths Road to Old Catton and the City Centre every 60 minutes Monday – Saturday during the evenings only. On Sundays, this service operates every 30 minutes throughout the day. This route will now provide a direct connection to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (21) and the University of East Anglia (22). Rail Services
4.3.12
It is recognised that Norwich rail services has a limited role to play in relation to the location of the site and the only realistic option for public transport trips to and from the development is most likely to be provided via the bus network.
4.3.13
Norwich Rail Station is located approximately 500m east of the City Centre and offers frequent (half hourly) services to London and Cross Country services to destinations such as Cambridge, Nottingham, Sheffield and Liverpool.
4.3.14
Local services also operate to destinations along the Norfolk coast. It is however, important to consider the bus links between the site and the city centre when considering access to the rail station as a multi-modal interchange.
4.4
Pedestrian and Cycling Facilities Pedestrian Facilities
4.4.1
There are five key pedestrian routes leading from the site to the centre of Norwich. These routes are as follows: •
St Faith’s Road (between the A1042 Mile Cross Lane to the south and Quaker Lane to the north);
•
The A140 (between the A147 St Crispins Road in the south to the B1149 in the north);
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4.4.2
•
The B1150 (between the A147 St Crispins Road in the south and Rackheath Lane in the north);
•
The A1151 (between the A147 St Crispins Road in the south and the Stonehouse Road/A1151 junction to the north); and
•
Buxton Road, Spixworth Road and St Clements Hill (Between the A147 St Crispins Road in the south and the Buxton Road/Quaker Lane junction in the north).
Figure 5 highlights the main pedestrian routes into Norwich City Centre. Figure 5: Existing Pedestrian Routes
4.4.3
Pedestrian footways accompanied with street lighting are present along both sides of the carriageway at the southern end of St Faith’s Road and the A140 (south of Norwich Airport).
4.4.4
The B1150 also offers footways on both sides of the road with street lighting. There are signal controlled toucan crossings located at the junction with White Woman Lane and immediately north of Barker’s Lane.
4.4.5
The A1151 has a single footway along the western side of the carriageway from Sprowston Park Golf Club. Two footways become present along both sides of the road from Sprowston Park and Ride and are accompanied with street lighting. Signalised pedestrian crossings are located to the north or Blue Boar Lane and south of Merlin Avenue.
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4.4.6
Buxton Road/Spixworth Road offers a pedestrian footway along the western side of the carriageway from Spixworth down to The Paddocks junction. Footways with street lighting on both sides of the road are then present from The Paddocks travelling south into the city centre. Signalised pedestrian crossings are located to the south of The Paddocks and further south at the junction with White Woman Road.
4.4.7
The existing pedestrian facilities detailed above provide suitable links from the residential areas of Sprowston and Old Catton into Norwich City Centre. These routes also provide access to existing public transport facilities such as bus stops located on Buxton Road and Wroxham Road. Cycling Facilities
4.4.8
Norwich is well served by existing cycle routes. The Norwich City Council Cycle Map identifies Buxton Road, Spixworth Road and Church Lane as local cycle routes within Norwich.
4.4.9
Figure 6 shows the cycle routes within the greater Norwich area. Figure 6: Existing Norwich Cycle Routes
Source: Norwich City Council 4.4.10
An ‘Outer Circuit’ cycle route has been identified by NCC which operates around the outskirts of Norwich, passing Norwich Rail station. The Outer Circuit is accessed to the south of the site via Lodge Lane, White Woman Lane, Bakers Lane and Cozen Hardy Road. The following education, employment and social amenities are easily accessible via the Outer Circuit: •
Norwich and Norfolk Hospital
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•
County Hall
•
Norwich Research Park
•
Hurricane Way Industrial Estate
•
City Trading Estate
•
Riverside employment area
•
Hellesdon High Residential Area
•
Costessey and Sprowston Libraries
•
Numerous schools including Sprowston High School, Open Academy
4.4.11
In addition, the Cringleford – Sprowston cycle route provides a north to south west link through Norwich. This route connects with the Outer Circuit to the north (at Cozens Hardy Road), passes through the City Centre (via St Clements Hill) and extends towards Cringleford via Newmarket Road. This route also connects with the Outer Circuit at Eaton. This cycle route provides access to numerous schools (including Sewell Park College), City College and Norwich University College of Arts (within the City Centre).
4.4.12
The Airport – Lakenham cycle route provides a north / south link through Norwich. This route connects with the Outer Circuit in the north (at Hurricane Way), passes through the City Centre (via Catton Grove Road) and reconnects with the Outer Circuit at Lakenham. This cycle route provides access to Vulcan Road employment area and the City Centre.
4.4.13
The Norwich and Norfolk Hospital – Heartsease cycle route operates in a west to north east direction, crossing the Outer Circuit at two locations and passing through the City Centre. This cycle route provides access between the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital in the west, the University of East Anglia (via Chancellors Drive), the City Centre and Heartsease in the east (via Valley Drive). Numerous schools are accessed along this route.
4.4.14
The Bowthorpe – Broadland Business Park cycle route operates in an east to west direction through Norwich City Centre. This route passes through Bowthrope employment area in the west and connects with the Outer Circuit at both Norwich Road in the west and Wellesley Avenue South in the east, via the City Centre and Norwich Rail station. From Wellesley Road South, the route continues eastwards t connect with Broadland Business Park (via Laundry Lane) and Thorpe St Andrew High School.
4.4.15
The ‘Inner Circuit’ cycle route operates between the inner road cordon and outer road cordon of Norwich. This route connects with all cycle routes passing through the city centre.
4.4.16
Buxton Road provides an off-road cycle route towards Spixworth in the north and White Woman Lane to the south. This cycle route extends on-road between White Woman Lane and the City Centre via Spixworth Road.
4.4.17
Church Lane is also identified as an on-road local cycle route extending between Sprowston in the south and North Walsham in the north (via North Walsham Road).
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4.4.18
All other cycle routes in the immediate vicinity of the site are on-road, but remain part of the local cycle network within Norwich. Most notably, the following local roads are classified as being on-road cycle routes: •
Buxton Road and Spixworth Road;
•
St Faith’s Road and Angel Road (towards the city centre);
•
Quaker Lane; and
•
Church Lane.
4.4.19
To the east, Church Lane links with Barker Lane and Proctor Road, which are also both designated as on road cycle routes. The on road cycle route extends to the east via Blue Boar lane and Woodside Road to connect with Salhouse Road and Plumstead Road, which link Thorpe End and Rackheath with the local cycle network. Further south east, the railway line creates a barrier for the cycle route to be extended towards the business park to the east of Norwich.
4.4.20
To the west of the site, Norwich Airport can be accessed by bicycle via Fifers Lane (off St Faith’s Road). This on road cycle route leads directly to the airport.
4.4.21
To the north west of Norwich centre, off-road National Cycle Route 1 links the City Centre with Drayton and Taverham to the northwest and Trowse to the southeast. The national cycle route also passes the southern side of Sweetbriar employment area to the north west of Norwich.
4.5
Baseline Traffic
4.5.1
In order to establish a baseline traffic flow model of the existing network, junction turning counts nd were undertaken on Wednesday 22 February 2012. The counts were undertaken at 22 locations on the surrounding highway network of the development site.
4.5.2
Figure 7 and Table 3 illustrate the junction locations and list the surveyed junctions, respectively. Full traffic count data is attached as Appendix C.1. And network flow diagrams for the AM and PM peak are attached as Appendix C.2.
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Figure 7: Junction Location Map
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Table 3: List of Surveyed Junctions Junction
Junction Type
A
Wroxham Road/P & R site
3 Arm Roundabout
B
Wroxham Road/Blue Boar Roundabout
3 Arm Roundabout
C
Wroxham Road./Church lane
3 Arm Priority
D
Wroxham Road/A1042
4 Arm Roundabout
E
North Walsham Road/ White Woman Lane
3 Arm Signalised
F
North Walsham Road/Barkers Lane
3 Arm Signalised
G
North Walsham Road/A1042
4 Arm Roundabout
H
Spixworth Road/The Paddocks
3 Arm Priority
I
Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane/Lodge lane
3 Arm Signalised & 3 Arm Priority
J
Spixworth Road/A1042
3 Arm Priority
K
St Faith’s Road/Lodge Lane/Repton Avenue
4 Arm Roundabout
L
St Faith’s Road/Fifers lane
3 Arm Priority
M
St Faith’s Road/A1042
Signalised Crossroad
N
A1042/A140 Junction
4 Arm Signalised
O
A1042/Salhouse Road
Signalised Crossroad
P
Beeston Lane/Buxton Road
3 Arm Priority
Q
Beeston Lane/North Walsham Road
Crossroad
R
Spixworth Road/Church Street
3 Arm Priority
S
St Faith’s Road/Church Street
3 Arm Priority
T
George Hill/Spixworth Road
3 Arm Priority
U
George Hill/North Walsham Road
Signalised Crossroad
V
Wroxham Road/Falcon Road West
3 Arm Priority
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st
4.5.3
Automatic Traffic Counts (ATCs) were also carried out at key links between Tuesday 21 th February 2012 and Tuesday 28 February 2012. The ATC data identifies vehicle flows, mode and speed 24 hours per day. This data was used to validate the manual junction counts used within this assessment and fed into the air and noise quality Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) forecasts for the Environmental Impact Assessment.
4.5.4
ATC locations and a list of sites can be seen in Figure 8 and Table 4, respectively. Figure 8: ATC Location Map
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Table 4: List of ATC Sites ATC Location 1
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way
2
Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close
3
Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill
4
Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove
5
St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery
6
Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane
7
North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane
8
Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park
9
St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane
10
Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road
11
Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke
12
Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road
13
White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road
14
Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks
15
Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road
16
Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road
17
George Hill – East of Beeches Close
18
Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road
19
Country Park Access Road – South of Wroxham Road
20
Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road
21
Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
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4.5.5
Table 5 summarises the Baseline AADT, AAWT and % HGV flows. The AADT is the Annual Average Daily Traffic Flow including weekends, while the AAWT is the Annual Average Weekday Traffic Flow for traffic on normal workings days, Monday to Friday. The full survey results and the calculations to determine the AADT and AAWT flows are attached in Appendix C.3: Baseline 2012 AADT and AAWT. Table 5: 2012 Baseline AADT, AAWT and %HGV Flows Within the Study Area. % HGV
AADT (two-way flows)
% HGV
24093
7.8%
20892
7.1%
Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close
30066
8.5%
26043
7.8%
Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill
31113
7.5%
29485
6.5%
Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove
28817
7.3%
26240
6.0%
St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery
518
7.4%
486
6.4%
Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane
6761
6.2%
6384
5.6%
North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane
11271
6.7%
10856
5.9%
Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park
12130
8.4%
11526
7.2%
St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane
18286
8.7%
17122
7.7%
Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road
16175
6.2%
15666
5.4%
Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke
18616
6.8%
17782
5.9%
Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road
9573
4.5%
9111
4.0%
White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road
6868
6.5%
6507
5.8%
Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks
5871
5.8%
5528
5.4%
Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road
19587
8.5%
18392
7.4%
Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road
5042
5.0%
4681
4.4%
George Hill – East of Beeches Close
4555
5.2%
4281
4.6%
Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road
17320
4.3%
16721
3.8%
Country Park Access Road – South of Wroxham Road
1251
3.2%
1252
3.3%
Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road
2835
5.4%
2631
4.8%
Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
2576
6.8%
2392
6.6%
AAWT (two-way flows)
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way
ATC Location
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5.
Highway and Transport Infrastructure Proposals
5.1
Norwich Area Transport Strategy (NATS)
5.1.1
The NATS outlines the transportation strategy for the Norwich Area until 2021. It covers the city of Norwich, its suburbs and the first ring of surrounding villages.
5.1.2
The strategy has been prepared by Norfolk County Council, in partnership with Norwich City Council, Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council.
5.1.3
The key sustainable elements within the strategy relating to transportation infrastructure include:
5.1.4
•
Improving accessibility in the Norwich area by improving facilities for all modes of transport, improving access and accommodating growth in the number of trips by means other than the car (Policy 8).
•
Improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists (Policies 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14).
•
Improving public transport routes, information, frequency and reliability (Policies 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 & 21).
•
Improving traffic movement through policies on combating congestion (Policy 46 - 56).
•
Providing access for everyone through appropriately designed infrastructure and promoting buses with access for people with disabilities (Policies 75 – 80).
The main highway and transport infrastructure proposals that come from the NATS are detailed as follows: Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NNDR)
5.1.5
The Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NNDR) is a proposed 8.7 mile dual-carriageway linking theA47 to the south east of the city to the proposed Rackheath Eco-town and to Norwich International Airport to the north of Norwich. It was given 'Programme Entry' status by the Department for Transport in December 2009 with estimated completion in spring 2017 at a cost of £90.7m.
5.1.6
The NNDR is included within the Norwich Area Transport Strategy (NATS) policy. The new road will aim to: •
Reduce congestion on other parts of the network including the ring roads and radial routes in Norwich.
•
With other measures, constrain traffic using unsuitable minor and residential roads around the north of Norwich.
•
Make other parts of the strategy easier to deliver. For example it takes traffic from parts of the network, meaning that it is easier to deliver improvements to public transport.
•
Improve strategic access from the north of Norfolk / Norwich, including Norwich International Airport, to the strategic road network.
•
Provide part of the essential infrastructure to deliver major growth.
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5.1.7
The alignment of the proposed NNDR can be seen in Figure 9. Figure 9: Proposed NNDR Alignment
Source: Norfolk County Council
Cycle & Walking in Norwich 5.1.8
There is significant scope for improving walking and cycling networks throughout the city centre and on key routes in and out of Norwich that link growth areas. In addition to facilitating modal shift to more sustainable modes, this will help promote health benefits associated with a more active lifestyle.
5.1.9
In terms of walking facilities, reduction of general traffic in busy city centre streets brought about by city centre proposals will bring local air quality and noise reduction benefits. A network of walking routes can be developed supported by appropriate information provision and crossing facilities. There are opportunities for pedestrians to be given additional priority at signalised crossings where there are significant reductions in general traffic. This could include areas such as the city centre and radial routes into the city.
5.1.10
For cycling, a key element of the NATS policy relates to the development of a core cycle network linking key employment and growth locations across the city. Typical routes being considered could link the city centre with areas such as the Norwich Research Park, Broadland Business Park and Norwich Airport. There is strong support for a network to be developed that is more comprehensive and joined up than that currently provided where short separate lengths of cycleway are often provided. Other proposals in the Implementation Plan include the provision of contra-flow cycle lanes on some one-way streets, advanced stop lines at junctions, additional cycle parking facilities and a review of restrictions related to use of pedestrianised
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streets by cyclists. In a similar way to pedestrians, there are opportunities for cyclists to be given additional priority at signalised crossings where there are significant reductions in general traffic. Rail & Bus Services 5.1.11
Norfolk County Council will continue to work with transport operators to further improve journey times and the reliability of bus and rail services and provide additional capacity where required. There is already an existing network for bus and rail services and the Implementation Plan will seek to further develop these to encourage modal shift and interchange with other modes. The proposed NATS public bus improvements include:
5.1.12
A more reliable public transport journeys to the city, with higher priority given to buses. Furthermore, reliability is planned to improve through additional capacity at peak times with improved stops, stations and newer trains.
5.1.13
Sustainability enhancements include the planned provision of an improved, more frequent bus service to reduce the reliance of the private car. Furthermore, the enhanced bus service is planned to make planning for journeys easier, with improved purchase of online ticketing.
5.1.14
Accessibility of local bus services is planned to improve through a wider network and choice of destinations. Furthermore, access and space enhancements on board for wheelchairs and buggies will improve service accessibility.
5.1.15
New growth will be a particular focus for improved public transport, particularly as the growth areas are designed around principal routes. As a result, part of the NATS proposals include developing a network of core bus routes where service frequency and bus priority will be enhanced as much as possible. Figure 10 displays the proposals to the core bus routes.
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Figure 10: Core Bus Route Proposals
Source: Norwich City Council 5.1.16
Increased seating and frequency on the Norwich to Cambridge line will provide much needed capacity to cater for existing issues of overcrowding during peak periods and to support proposed growth along this corridor. Reduced journey times and enhanced quality of rolling stock on the Norwich to London main line will help support economic growth of Norwich and the surrounding region.
5.1.17
An innovative tram-style train could be implemented on the existing Norwich to Cromer / Sheringham (Bittern) line linking the proposed development at Rackheath with the city centre. This could offer faster journey times and additional services. Furthermore, additional stops are proposed along selected routes to increase accessibility.
5.1.18
New rail stations at Broadland Business Park and Postwick could play a key role in serving proposed growth along this corridor from wider afield and locally.
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6.
Development Proposals
6.1
Proposed Development
6.1.1
The North Sprowston & Old Catton (NS&OC) application proposes to develop the site into a sustainable mixed use, residential led development comprising of:
6.1.2
•
Residential Development of up to 3,520 dwellings (C3 use class);
•
Up to 16,800m² (Gross Internal Area (GIA)) of Commercial Development (B1, B2);
•
Up to 8,800m² (GIA) of Retail and Service Development (A1-A5);
•
Up to 1,000m² (GIA) of Hotel and Guest House Development (C1);
•
Up to 5,000m² (NIA) of Education Development (D1);
•
Up to 2,000m² (NIA) of Other Community Development (D1);
•
An Energy Centre measuring up to 1,500m²;
•
82.5 hectares of green space including up to 20.1ha of play and recreational space and at least 31.3ha of new and retained natural and semi-natural space; and
•
Four proposed accesses onto the highway network
The overarching principles which have informed the development of the masterplan and sustainable movement strategy for NS&OC are as follows: •
The transport strategy and street typologies should reflect a hierarchy of users that prioritises the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users over the needs of private motor cars;
•
development should be structured around mixed use, walkable neighbourhoods to reduce the need to travel. Streets should be designed to create an attractive environment for pedestrians and that is accessible for all users;
•
pedestrian, cycle and vehicle movement should be seen as an opportunity to support a viable mix of uses, rather than a problem to be routed away from primary shopping and commercial areas;
•
streets are social places that encourage social and optional activities (strolling, sitting, playing, gossiping, etc) as well as facilitating necessary activities;
•
low carbon technologies have a role to play and their take up should be encouraged, but the majority of the negative impacts of car dependency are not caused by the internal combustion engine per se and cannot, therefore, be addressed by replacement engine technology;
•
the provision of more attractive alternatives to the private car, including establishing and promoting a car club, will enable a low parking ratio to be achieved and avoid the need for individual ownership of parking spaces; and
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•
6.1.3
sophisticated transport and traffic modeling should be able to challenge assumptions on traffic growth and properly reflect the impact of good urbanism, sustainable movement strategies and travel plans on modal split.
The key principles of the sustainable transport strategy of the site are to: •
Reduce the need to travel;
•
Integrate transport proposals with NATS;
•
Provide bus priority and enhance the existing bus service;
•
Provide high quality, safe and direct routes for cyclists and pedestrians;
•
Provide actively managed car parks; and
•
To provide alternative sustainable transport options such as: offering a car club, promoting lift sharing and providing pool parking.
6.1.4
A Framework Travel Plan (FTP) will also be implemented which will contain an action plan, provide sustainable travel targets and monitoring, in accordance with NCC.
6.1.5
The FTP also identifies Area Wide Travel Planning (AWTP) measures that could be implemented in the Old Catton, Catton and Sprowston Wards to reduce existing background traffic.
6.1.6
The development proposals accord fully with existing national, regional and local transport policies.
6.1.7
The development site will be split into 6 distinct neighbourhoods as shown in Figure 11. Figure 11 is also illustrated as Appendix B, drawing number NS&OC 104.
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Figure 11: Neighbourhood Plan
Source: Beyond Green 6.2
Development Phasing
6.2.1
The development is proposed to come forward in six phases. The full quantum of development equates to an average of 586 dwellings and 4,200sqm of Commercial and Retail Space per phase. In addition, it is expected that two primary schools will be delivered by the end of phase 4.
6.2.2
Table 6 illustrates the approximate proposed development breakdown within each Phase. NB these figures are slightly different from the phasing figures presented in the DAS and supporting statements explaining the scheme. This reflects minor changes to the proposed phasing schedule made after the TA modelling process had begun. The changes are not material to the outcome of the modelling work undertaken for the TA. Table 6: Development Phasing Breakdown Total Within Each Phase Development Residential (Units) Commercial/Retail (m²)
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Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 5
Phase 6
584
596
585
594
572
588
9,800
7,250
5,650
60
2,180
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Cumulative Phase Total Development Residential (Units) Commercial/Retail (m²)
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 5
Phase 6
584
1,180
1,764
2,385
2,930
3,518
9,800
17,050
22,700
22,760
24,940
25,200
6.2.3
The proposed phasing development diagram is illustrated in Appendix B, drawing number NS&OC 120.
6.2.4
Each phase is expected to take 30-48 months to complete with the development being completed within 15-20 years of commencement.
6.2.5
The aim of the phasing scheme is to allow the growth of the development to mirror that of traditional town expansion, where development begins around the core of the site, close to a selection of transport nodes. In this way, the phasing scheme: •
Will establish a mass of development around Main Square;
•
Delivers the new alignment of the North Walsham Road in Phase 1 and the east-west link between this and the Wroxham Road in Phase 2, quickly establishing the core structure of primary roads;
•
Provides access to a primary school site within the first phase; and
•
Provides a balanced mix of housing type and size across each phase.
6.2.6
It is expected that the NNDR will be fully operational by 2018 (during phase 2 construction of the proposed development).
6.3
Access
6.3.1
The development scheme will be accessed from the three radial routes running through or past the site. These new accesses will be located off: Wroxham Road
6.3.2
A primary access signal controlled junction will be located off Wroxham Road opposite the current entrance to Sprowston Manor Golf Course and Hotel. This will provide access to the eastern side of the scheme and will form a junction with a new road which runs in an east-west alignment through the site.
6.3.3
It is proposed to apply for TRO to reduce the speed limit along Wroxham Road adjacent the development to 30mph.
6.3.4
Wroxham Road and Main Street junction layout is illustrated in Appendix B, drawing number VN18592-ECC-DG-0001-05.
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North Walsham Road 6.3.5
North Walsham Road will be realigned to run through the development’s main square in a northsouth alignment forming a signalised junction with a new east-west development road. This newly aligned road will be a primary residential carriageway and will offer numerous access points with other residential streets which will distribute local traffic within the scheme.
6.3.6
It is proposed to apply for TRO to reduce the speed along North Walsham Road to 20mph speed limit within the boundaries of the development.
6.3.7
Church Lane will remain closed to vehicular traffic in both directions where it enters the site to the south.
6.3.8
The proposed changes on North Walsham Road are illustrated in Appendix B, drawing numbers VN18592-ECC-DG-0001-03 and VN18592-ECC-DG-0001-02. Buxton/Spixworth Road.
6.3.9
A primary access junction will be located off Buxton/Spixworth Road to the north of Lavare Park. It will take the form of a signalised crossroad and provide connections into the centre and east of the development. This road is expected to carry mainly local traffic and public transport.
6.3.10
It is proposed to apply for TRO to reduce the speed along Buxton/Spixworth Road to 20mph speed limit within the development boundaries.
6.3.11
The proposed changes on Spixworth Road are illustrated Appendix B, drawing number VN18592-ECC-DG-0001-04.
6.3.12
Figure 12 displays the proposed development access points and internal road configuration. Figure 12 is also illustrated in Appendix B, drawing number NS&OC 111.
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Figure 12: Site Access and Street Hierarchy Plan
6.4
Parking
6.4.1
Department for Transport’s Making Residential Travel Plans Work guidance, notes that “parking restraint is often crucial to the success of the [travel] plan in reducing car use” and thus the overall effectiveness of efforts to achieve modal shift away from the private car. Beyond Green expects that the number of car trips made by future residents will be significantly lower that the current norm due to:
6.4.2
•
The mix of uses and quality of services in NS&OC will significantly reduce the need to travel;
•
Walking and cycling being the preferred transport modes for journeys within NS&OC;
•
The high numbers of journeys to and from NS&OC made by bike or public transport; and
•
The provision of a car club.
As a result the need for multi-car ownership is likely to significantly reduce over time. However in a rural district and county there will always be some journeys that cannot be made by sustainable modes and in the short to medium term the majority of households are likely to want or need to own at least one car. Broadland District Council’s Parking Standards SPD uses the current average levels of car ownership (1.6 cars per vehicle owning household) as the basis for the development of parking standards. The SPD sets out a range of parking standards based
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on dwelling size, but also notes that variations on these standards are permitted “where it can be demonstrated [that] proximity to facilities or particularly good public transport alternatives make normal levels of parking unnecessary.” 6.4.3
6.4.4
Reflecting this context and based on the mix of housing proposed the parking strategy at NS&OC is to provide an average of 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling (excluding visitor parking) and then establish a robust system for managed parking restraint in order to allow parking ratios to be reduced over time in accordance with sustainable travel objectives and outcomes. Central to this strategy is providing a substantial share of residential parking off-plot (i.e. On-street or in-courtyard) allowing occupation of property to be separated from ownership or tenancy of parking spaces, with off-plot parking managed on a permit-leasing basis by the development management company or the local authority. This approach: •
Enables management regimes which incentivise modal shift over time, for example by requiring leases for off-plot parking to be renewed regularly thereby helping to make the total cost of car ownership more transparent and comparable with, for example, the need to renew public transport season tickets regularly;
•
Allows parking to be used flexibly, with unused residential spaces being transferred over time to flexible visitor or business use;
•
Allows for surplus parking to be ‘retired’ over time, for example with on-street parking within ‘flex zones’ being convertible to pedestrian, cyclist or green space;
•
Ensures that streets can be designed to accommodate on-street parking from the outset, avoiding informal parking that has caused pavement and carriageway obstructions in neighbouring developments; and
•
Supports the aim of the street hierarchy to limit the extent to which street frontage is disrupted by frontage access to driveways.
Applying Broadland’s parking standards, additional car parking is required for visitors (one 2 space per four dwellings, amounting to 880 spaces), employment (3 spaces per 100m , 2 amounting to 504 spaces) retail (3 spaces per 200m , amounting to 132 spaces) and 2 community (1 space per 100m , amounting to 20 spaces). There is sufficient capacity within the plan for these additional 1,456 spaces (and an additional 6% allowance for disabled provision) to be accommodated flexibly off-plot in designated on-street bays, although there will be further capacity within blocks and it is recognised that some uses (e.g. A small supermarket or a community centre) may require dedicated space. However, given the extent of off-plot residential provision and the very high likelihood that commuting inflows of workers will be outweighed by commuting outflows of residents it is proposed that the final quantum, length of stay and charges for visitor and commercial parking be established during detailed design. This quantum will be informed by Broadland District Council’s Parking Standards SPD, however the mix of uses at NS&OC mean that strict application of the SPD parking standards for individual uses is likely to result in an overprovision of parking, compromising efforts to encourage visitors as well as residents to travel by sustainable modes. It has been assumed that any car parking required on school sites will be accommodated within site boundaries.
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6.4.5
Over 4,000 on-street parking spaces could be accommodated by applying the parking principles set out in the Street Hierarchy. This relates to a total residential parking requirement of 5,238 spaces and a maximum visitor, commercial and retail parking requirement of 1,543 (including disabled provision). There is significant capacity within blocks to accommodate the remaining parking requirements. Cycle Parking
6.4.6
Cycle parking will also be provided within the development site and will be in accordance with the standards set out by the BDC. The cycle parking will be allocated in an easily accessible, well lit, safe and secure location.
6.4.7
Parking will be provided for all dwellings, with each dwelling being provided with at least 1 space per bedroom up to 3 bedroom dwellings; then 3 spaces for 4 bedroom dwellings, 4 spaces for 5 bedroom dwellings, etc. On street visitor cycle parking will be provided on all residential streets, usually accommodated within flex parking zones.
6.4.8
The location, type and quantum of visitor and commercial cycle will be established during detailed design.
6.4.9
The design specifications for cycle parking will in due course be set out in the Site Wide Design and Sustainability Code, and will reflect current best practice such as Cambridge City Council’s Cycle Parking Guide for New Residential Developments (2010).
6.5
Bus Proposals
6.5.1
The provision of frequent, reliable and affordable bus services to and from North Sprowston and Old Catton (NS&OC) is essential if future residents, and neighbouring communities, are to be enabled to travel by sustainable modes rather than the private car. Bus services will complement efforts to minimise the need to travel by providing a mix of uses within NS&OC and to maximise the number of journeys on foot and by bike. Demand Analysis
6.5.2
The following demand analysis sets out the bus patronage that is likely to be generated by NS&OC. This is important as it provides a benchmark to enable an estimate to be made of the number of additional vehicles that could be economically purchased to provide services and of the likely service provision that could be provided.
6.5.3
The completed development will contain approximately 3,520 homes. It is assumed that there will be 2.5 residents per dwelling and that each resident will undertake 4 single trips per day by all modes. This means the development will generate 35,180 trips per day and if it is assumed that a 15% bus mode share can be generated then almost 5,300 single trips per day will be made on buses.
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6.5.4
The key determinant of delivering the required frequency is the morning peak period. It is assumed that 12.5% of these trips will take place during the busiest hour, which is equivalent to approximately 660 trips. Bus capacity
6.5.5
It is assumed that the average bus capacity is 75 passengers and bus operators would work to loading at up to 75% of capacity to allow for variation in arrivals at bus stops. This is equivalent to approximately 56 passengers per bus.
6.5.6
This means that in order to cope with demand at least 12 buses will need to depart from NS&OC during the peak hour once the development is fully completed. Development phasing
6.5.7
Table 7 shows the minimum number of buses per hour that would be required as the development progresses. A higher frequency of service is proposed to ensure that when new residents move into houses a level of service is provided that makes the bus a practical option. For example if an hourly service is provided for the first occupants then it won’t be seen as a viable choice and it is likely they will get into the habit of driving. Table 7: Proposed Bus Service Provision Number of Houses Completed
Minimum buses per hour required
Proposed buses per hour
1 – 300
1
2
301 – 600
2
3
601 – 900
3
4
901 – 1,200
4
5
1,201 – 1,500
5
6
1,501 – 1,800
6
7
1,801 – 2,100
7
8
2,101 – 2,400
8
9
2,401 – 2,700
9
10
2,701 – 3,000
10
11
3,001 – 3,300
11
12
3,301 – 3,518
12
13
Development completed
12
13
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Consultation 6.5.8
Beyond Green/SKMCB consulted with Norwich City Council, First Bus Group, Anglian Bus and Norfolk County Council between January and September 2012 to determine their views on how commercially successful bus services could be developed, and to discuss the options for a public transport strategy.
6.6
Service Development
6.6.1
The development plan schedule is to build out the total development in six construction phases starting around the two main mixed use centres – the Main Square located on the diverted North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road Square on the Wroxham Road.
6.6.2
Development around the Main Square will not be served by any existing bus services, and will require a new service to be established by the time the first house is occupied. Initial development at Wroxham Road Square will be within walking distance of the Park and Ride, as a result a new service is unlikely to be required until the east-west route connecting the Main Square to Wroxham Road is established (early in Phase 3). A high quality pedestrian and cycle route will be created to the Park and Ride, and the potential to extend the Park and Ride service to serve Wroxham Road Square will be explored.
6.6.3
The key principle for the Public Transport strategy is to establish a service from Wroxham Road that will extend to western edge of the development, and provide a bus link down the new Main Street through the development, and new service that runs from Spixworth through the central part of the development to the City centre. This will improve the penetration within the development and reduce walking distances north and south of the High Street. On this basis:
6.6.4
New bus services will be procured with a level of service as set out in Table 7. Agreements in principle with a preferred operator could be put in place as part of the Section 106 although this would need a certain level of flexibility to adapt once the service is actually ready to be delivered.
6.6.5
Tenders will set out the level of frequency required for a bus service between NS&OC and Norwich City Centre. Operators will then be free to come up with and price proposals for service operation with variable payments based on the number of completed residences.
6.6.6
Operators will be responsible for taking revenue risk associated with the service although credit will be given for innovative proposals that meet sustainability objectives. Tenderers will also be given credit for any additional direct links to key destinations that can be leveraged using their existing networks.
6.6.7
The remainder of this section analyses how services could be provided along the three primary radial routes that connect NS&OC with Norwich City Centre. It should be noted that operators are currently coming up with proposals for how they could serve NS&OC so this statement provides an initial assessment of likely provision based on discussions to date.
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6.6.8
It is envisaged that under all scenarios the frequencies on core bus routes would gradually be increased from every 30 minutes to at least every 10 minutes. With all of these options it is envisaged that some may be connected with cross city services to provide links to key destinations to be agreed with the operators, such as Norwich railway station. Wroxham Road corridor
6.6.9
The current Park & Ride service 605/606 operates every 15 minutes and is linked with the Postwick Park & Ride site near Broadland Business Park. New pedestrian and cycle connections will need to be provided to enable residents to access the park and ride bus stop. It is envisaged that the frequency would be increased from every 15 to every 10 minutes to cater for additional demand. This provides an additional two services per hour and will be implemented during Phase 1 and 2 of development. This could be staggered so that the service frequency is increased to every 12.5 minutes in Phase 1 (1 additional bus per hour) and every 10 minutes in Phase 2 (2 additional buses per hour). This will cater for the rising demand and reduce the funding requirements.
6.6.10
The option to connect this service with the Broadland Business Park should be explored to provide access to employment. This will require the 606 service to divert in the AM peak, and the 605 service to divert in the PM peak. This will enhance the revenue stream on the less busy direction in the peaks. However, further consultation with NCC is required to explore this option.
6.6.11
From phase 2 it is envisaged that a new service (NCOS 11) will need to operate along Wroxham Road at a frequency of 2 buses per hour to serve the demand from the new development.
6.6.12
In order to provide for construction access, the main street will be constructed early and provide an opportunity to extend the bus service through to North Walsham Road.
6.6.13
The following are considered the most likely bus options:
6.6.14
•
service 11/11A extended into the development from existing terminus at Tesco (from phase 2 onwards);
•
the reinforced service 11/11A split so that half the buses operate to Sprowston Tesco and half operate to NS&OC;
•
a new service, potentially running as a limited stop ‘express’ once it reaches the Wroxham Road; and/or
•
the extension of service 11/11A will provide a direct connection to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
It is anticipated that a complete east-west link from Wroxham Road to St Faiths Road will be built during Phase 5. Once this link is in place this new service NSOC 11 would be extended to serve the Old Catton area of NS&OC with the potential for a further extension to serve the Airport Industrial Estate.
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North Walsham Road corridor (local bus service) 6.6.15
Once phase 1 development starts around North Walsham Road a new bus service (NSOC 1) will be required as there are no existing services operating along this route.
6.6.16
After consultation, the preferred option is to provide a totally new service (NSOC 1) from Spixworth through the development to the City Centre. The option to extend this service via the Norwich Railway Station to Broadland Business Park during peak hours should be considered.
6.6.17
The frequency and penetration of this service will increase as the development progresses. The initial service will run every 30 minutes and it is anticipated that by the beginning of Phase 5, the service will run every 10 minutes.
6.6.18
The proposed revised service 21/22 which terminates at White Woman Lane could be extended into the site to serve the main square. This would provide direct route to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and UAE for NSOC residents. This could be provided without any requirement for funding since it could be commercially attractive for the operators to consider the extra distance travelled against the increased patronage. Spixworth /Buxton Road (local bus service)
6.6.19
Service 13 currently serves Buxton Road and each operates at a frequency of every 30 minutes. When the development approaches Buxton Road in Phase 5 and 6, the revised service 13 should be diverted into the site to increase patronage. Given the number of houses being constructed towards the Spixworth Road end of NS&OC (from phase 4) it is considered that this level of service will be sufficient so no funding should be provided for additional coverage. Operators would be free to enhance frequencies if they believed that there was a business case for improvements without additional funding. Orbital service
6.6.20
At present no commercially viable bus services provide orbital connections around Norwich and this pattern is repeated in similar sized towns and cities around the UK. This is because the competitive advantage buses can enjoy on journeys to City Centres such as limited/ costly parking and bus priority lanes are not available on orbital journeys. Instead buses are often forced to use secondary routes through populated areas rather than main roads meaning that journey times are considerably extended.
6.6.21
Orbital services can only be commercially successful when there is a strong attractor that provides demand for bus services throughout the day. Examples of this sort of demand include shopping centres and strong district retail centres. Major employment sites such as Business Parks are notoriously difficult to serve due to heavily peaked demand meaning a high level of resource (vehicles) need to be provided during peak hours that can then not generate revenue for 22 hours per day. There will no doubt be demand from future residents at NS&OC for an orbital service to Broadland Business Park, however such a service is likely to require long term subsidy, at least until it is able to serve other developments within the Growth Triangle.
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Provision of this service will be dependent upon a demonstrable business case for the service backed up by a long term funding source to avoid the danger of withdrawing a service and creating instability and lack of confidence in public transport availability. 6.6.22
In order to minimise the need for subsidy our proposals focus on providing a route that can generate some revenue during off-peak periods and exploring the potential to extend other services to serve Broadland Business Park. This service will run along the new orbital route once this is established by development elsewhere in the Growth Triangle, prior to completion of the route it will follow the most direct route between NS&OC and Broadland Business Park. There is potential to extend this service to also serve the Airport Industrial Estate.
6.6.23
It is proposed that from Phase 3 onwards a direct service between NS&OC and Broadland Business Park will run every 30 minutes during peak hours (0700-0900 &1600-1800). This would require an additional two vehicles. The potential for these vehicles to be used during offpeak hours (0900-1600) for services to other destinations will be explored.
6.7
Bus service provision summary
6.7.1
The phasing of bus service provision is summarised as follows. Phase 1: •
Provide a new bus service along North Walsham Road at a frequency of 2 buses per hour. This service is designated NSOC 1 for ease of reference.
•
Re-inforce the existing P&R service 605/606 along Wroxham Road to every 12.5 minutes. This is equivalent to an additional 1 bus every hour.
Phase 2: •
Re-inforce the existing P&R service 605/606 to every 10 minutes. This equivalent to an additional 2 buses per hour.
•
Extend the existing service 11/11a from Wroxham Road into the development at a frequency of 2 buses per hour. This service is designated NSOC 1 for ease of reference.
Phase 3 •
Increase the frequency and penetration of the service NSOC 1 to every 20 minutes (3 buses/hr). Note that this service to Spixworth will be capped at 2 buses/hr.
•
Increase the frequency and penetration of the service NSOC 11 to every 20 minutes (3 buses/hr).
Phase 4: •
Increase the frequency and penetration of the service NSOC 1 to every 15 minutes (4 buses/hr).
Phase 5: •
Increase the frequency and penetration of the service NSOC 1 to every 12.5 minutes (5 buses/hr).
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•
Increase the frequency and penetration of the service NSOC 11 to every 15 minutes (4 buses/hr).
Phase 6: •
Increase the frequency and penetration of the service NSOC 1 to every 10 minutes (6 buses/hr).
•
Divert Service 13 into development from Buxton Road (but only west of North Walsham Road).
6.8
Bus service provision timeline
6.8.1
In order to provide an overall picture of how service provision could develop based on the current development construction schedule, Table 8 sets out a timeline for service introduction based on the number of dwellings within each phase. It is intended to be a guide and if anticipated demand or development phasing changes from that projected then the level of service may also change. Table 8: Proposed Bus Service Phasing
Phase
Recommended BPH provided
Actual total additional BPH provided
0
0
0
0
1 – 584
1
3
Number of houses completed
Cumulative Total Additional BPH
Actual BPH serving NEN development
0
4
3
7
1 2
2
5
6
10 New service NSOC 11 along Wroxham Rd every 30 minutes
2
0 1,181 – 1,764
3
7
7
11
1 1,765 – 2,358
4
9
9
13
1
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Sprowston Park & Ride Services every 15 minutes Enhance Sprowston Park & Ride to every 12.5 minutes New service NSOC 1 North Walsham Rd every 30 minutes Enhance Sprowston Park & Ride to every 10 minutes
1 585 – 1,180
Bus service enhancement
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Extend Service NSOC 11 West Enhance North Walsham Road service NSOC 1 to every 20 minutes Enhance extended Wroxham Road service NSOC 11 to every 20 minutes Enhance North Walsham Road service NSOC 1 to every 15 minutes
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Number of houses completed
Phase
Recommended BPH provided
Actual total additional BPH provided
Cumulative Total Additional BPH
Actual BPH serving NEN development
1 2,359 – 2,930
5
11
11
15
1
6
13
14
18 Increase North Walsham Road service NSOC 1 to every 10 minutes
1
Development completed
6.8.8
13
Enhance North Walsham Road service NSOC 1 to every 12.5 minutes Enhance extended Wroxham Road service NSOC 11 to every 15 minutes Divert & reinforce service 10/10A (13) to enter the development site
2 2,931 – 3,518
Bus service enhancement
14
18
Figure 13 (phases 1 and 2), Figure 14 (phases 3 and 4) and Figure 15 (phases 5 and 6) below, show how these services will implemented along the various routes.
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Figure 13: Proposed Bus Routing for Phase 1 and 2
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Figure 14: Proposed Bus Routing for Phase 3 and 4
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Figure 15: Proposed Bus Routing for Phase 5 and 6
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6.8.9
Further detail on bus service demand, capacity, implementation and route plans for proposed bus provision is contained within the Public Transport Strategy document included as part of the Sustainable Transport Strategy.
6.9
Cycling and Pedestrian Proposals
6.9.1
The NS&OC street network will be designed to be safe, legible and well connected, making walking and cycling the transport mode of choice at the local level. Short, fine-grained blocks will create a permeable layout that offers a choice of attractive routes for pedestrians and cyclists. Streets and other public spaces will have active frontages and be overlooked, this together with street trees, sensitive lighting, high quality materials and street furniture and other design measures will help to ensure they feel safe and are interesting to walk or cycle along.
6.9.2
Reflecting the user hierarchy measures to prioritise the needs of pedestrians and cyclists will include: •
establishing a site wide 20mph speed limit to make it easier for pedestrians to cross streets at any point. Speeds will be kept low through design rather than enforcement, using features such as short lengths of street between junctions, narrow carriageways, on street parking, limiting forward visibility and the use of shared space on some tertiary streets;
•
providing wide pavements that are kept free of clutter to create a pleasant walking environment and provide plenty of space for wheelchairs and pushchairs;
•
providing dedicated cycle lanes on primary streets to create safe conditions for cycling despite higher traffic volumes on those streets. Cycle lanes will be a minimum of 2m wide (minimum 1.5m wide when on carriageway) to allow for easy overtaking and to accommodate cargo bikes;
•
raising the carriageway to foot path and cycle lane level at side road junctions and giving pedestrians and cyclists clear priority at junctions;
•
using a range of controlled and uncontrolled crossing points to provide regular opportunities for wheelchair users and the blind or visually impaired to cross;
•
allowing less confident cyclists to avoid turning right with traffic when using the junction of the east-west route with North Walsham Road; and
•
using modal filtering at appropriate locations on tertiary streets to restrict through movement of motor vehicles without compromising permeability for pedestrians and cyclists.
6.9.3
There is significant potential for journeys to and from NS&OC to be made by bike. The Norwich Cycle Map (Figure 6) identifies a number of Pedalways, cycle commuting routes to and from Norwich City Centre and orbital routes around the city. These are complemented by neighbourhood routes for local journeys.
6.9.4
The Cringleford – Sprowston route, which passes Sewell Park College and Norwich High School for Girls en route to the city centre, begins on Foxburrow Road just off Bakers Lane, this can be easily accessed from NS&OC via Church Lane. Spixworth Road is identified as a neighbourhood route, and joins the Cringleford – Sprowston route on St Clements Hill. Journey
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times by bike to the city centre on either of these routes will be approximately 25 minutes. The Outer Orbital passes along Barkers Lane and crosses both the North Walsham Road and Spixworth Road. This route provides access to the Airport Industrial Estate, Sprowston High and eventually the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital. It also provides access to neighbourhood routes and other Pedalways that connect to Broadland Business Park and UEA. 6.9.5
The above will provide the basis for a strategy to encourage residents and visitors of all ages and abilities to travel to and from NS&OC by bike. We will work with Broadland District Council, Norfolk County Council and Norwich City Council to explore opportunities to improve the quality and safety of these and other cycle routes. In the short term this is likely to include measures such as signage and priority improvements to existing pedestrian and cycle crossings to maximise use of existing Pedalways and neighbourhood routes. In the medium – long term we will seek the introduction of dedicated cycle infrastructure on the North Walsham Road and the removal of barriers such as the one way system on Magdellan Street to create a direct cycle route from NS&OC to the city centre.
6.10
Sustainable Travel Plan
6.10.1
A sustainable Framework Travel Plan (FTP) for the whole development site has been developed and is included in the planning application documents.
6.10.2
The overarching aims and objectives of the FTP are as follows:
6.10.3
•
To reduce the number and proportion of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips from and to NS&OC from all land uses.
•
To support the introduction of walking, cycling and bus infrastructure and help overcome the barriers to using sustainable modes of travel for all types of trips, including commuting, retail, leisure and education trips.
•
To raise awareness of the financial, health and environmental (carbon emissions, air quality and noise pollution) benefits of using alternative modes of travel to car.
•
To incentivise habitual car drivers to try an alternative mode of travel and then to sustain this new travel behaviour.
•
To promote the smarter choices initiatives available across Norwich and to enable and support effective partnership working between local authorities, community groups, schools and other stakeholders for mutual benefit.
•
To achieve traffic neutrality through the implementation of an area-wide travel plan in the existing neighbouring residential areas.
For each aspect of the development the FTP has established travel mode targets which are detailed as follows: Residential Travel Plan Targets
6.10.4
Norfolk County Council’s travel plan guidance states that targets should be set in line with the DfT’s expectation of an 11% shift from SOV travel in rural areas and 20% in urban peak areas.
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As the development aspires to be urban in nature, the target set is at the higher level of 20% reduction. A 20% reduction from the baseline car driver mode share of 63% would equate to a 13% mode shift (rounded up to the nearest whole percent) and a target mode share for ‘car driver’ of 50%. The date by which the target mode share will be achieved is set as 2022, 5 years after the completion of the first Phase (of approximately 700 dwellings). Targets Commercial (Office) Travel Plan Targets 6.10.5
It is estimated that a third of jobs in employment space on site will be filled by residents on site. For the vast majority of these people, walking and cycling will be the most convenient and direct way of getting to work and for those coming from further afield good public transport links, as well as appealing cycling routes, will be available.
6.10.6
This justifies a car driver mode share target of 20% among on-site residents and 50% from those originating off site, which amounts to a compound target of 40%. This target will be achieved within 5 years of occupation and sustained throughout the life of the development. Targets Education (School) Travel Plan Targets
6.10.7
For the primary schools the initial target is a car travel (alone or sharing) mode share of 30% to be achieved within the first year with a final target of 25% car mode share to be achieved within 3 years of opening. This would equate to a 13% shift (35% reduction) in car mode share from the baseline seen across the existing primary schools in the surrounding area.
6.10.8
Detailed travel planning objectives and targets can be seen in the FTP document contained within the Sustainable Transport Strategy.
6.10.9
Full detailed Travel Plans (TP) for each aspect of the site will be developed post planning consent, prior to the occupation of the new residential and business/retail units.
6.10.10 The full TPs will be co-ordinated strategies to help the residents living within the development and staff to understand their travel needs and deliver a package of sustainable transport initiatives to increase mode choice and reduce the need to travel by private car. 6.10.11 The construction of the TP will adhere to guidelines, feedback and comments from meetings held with the Council and appointed Travel Plan Officer. 6.11
Area Wide Travel Planning (AWTP)
6.11.1
The sustainable Framework Travel Plan (FTP) included in the planning application documents sets out the principles of AWTP.
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6.11.2
Like other types of travel plan (for example a residential, school or workplace travel plan) an area-wide travel plan (AWTP) is a package of measures which support, enable and promote sustainable travel with the aim of reducing single occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel. The major difference is that an AWTP covers a larger area and a diverse group of people. Critically, the target audience is without a common structure through which to feed information, such as an employer or housing developer, and not governed by an organisation under which they can all be strongly influenced, for example through school or workplace policy. The target audience will be at different stages in their lives, with different perspectives, values and motivations. They will also have access to different modes of travel.
6.11.3
With these key points in mind, the primary measure of the AWTP will be the provision of personalised travel planning (PTP) advice for residents, using one-to-one conversations to help to solve individual barriers to sustainable travel. Complementary to this, it is also recommended that a workplace travel plan programme is carried out on the Airport Industrial Estate, similar to that which has been implemented at Broadland Business Park. This would need to be part of the wider Area Action Plan and led by the local authorities rather than Beyond Green, but this could link in with the workplace travel planning initiatives at NS&OC and so recommendations for this scheme are provided here.
6.11.4
As well as PTP and workplace travel planning, the AWTP will implement a range of modespecific promotions and incentives, based on the initiatives that are occurring on the development site and also to promote the new infrastructure and services that the development will bring for the wider population. Partnership working with local authorities and stakeholders (such as First Buses, Sustrans and the Norwich Cycling Campaign) will be vital to complement and promote existing local initiatives and to help remove barriers to sustainable travel for those in the AWTP area.
6.11.5
Owing to the long construction period (15-20 years), the timing and extent of the AWTP will need to be discussed with the local authorities at a later date. In order to be most effective, an AWTP should also be adopted as part of the Area Action Plan, to enable this initiative to be carried out over a wider area and to tie in with NATS.
6.11.6
The proposed AWTP would cover an area of approximately 6,356 households and potentially around 8,200 employees in Old Catton (including the Airport Industrial area). The main measure would be implementation of a Personalised Travel Planning project, with workplace travel planning for the employment sites. These initiatives would enhance the wider sustainable travel campaigns and infrastructure improvements led by Norwich and Norfolk City Councils, as well as those being implemented on the NS&OC site.
6.11.7
Using averages from previous PTP projects, it is estimated that across the 6,357 households targeted, approximately 43% might be expected to participate and receive information/initiatives. The evidence from previous PTP projects and the STDT programmes indicates that a thorough AWTP project (including marketing and travel information) implemented in the existing residential areas adjacent to the development could result in around a 4% mode shift away from car driver mode share, or an 11% reduction in car driver trips
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(across the targeted population). If the programme included improvements to services and infrastructure, this could result in approximately 4-6% mode shift away from car driver to sustainable modes or 9% across all residents.
6.12
Refuse Collection / Emergency Service Strategy
6.12.1
The permeability and connectivity of the proposed street network layout for the development will allow refuse vehicles and emergency service vehicles to enter and leave in forward gear. Access will be provided from all radial routes.
6.12.2
The residential and business refuse collection areas for the development will be located in a convenient, safe and enclosed location and will conform to the standards set out within relevant environmental waste management policy.
6.12.3
There will be negligible impacts on both future residents within the development and existing residents living alongside St Faith’s Road, Buxton/Spixworth Road, North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road.
6.13
Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP)
6.13.1
A framework Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) has been prepared and is included in the Environmental Statement.
6.13.2
The CTMP report details the schedule and phasing of construction, site access and route arrangements for construction materials and identifies further aspects that need to be provided by the contractor/contractors appointed to construct each phase of the development. Regional Routing
6.13.3
The potential regional routings of the construction delivery vehicles prior to the construction of the NNDR are illustrated in Figure 16.
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Figure 16: Regional Routing for Construction Deliveries prior to opening of the NNDR
6.13.4
This demonstrates that the A1042 Outer Ring Road and A1151 Wroxham Road will provide the principal construction access routes to the Site.
6.13.5
The access point for all construction related delivery vehicles accessing the Site in Phases 1-6 of the construction will be via the A1151 Wroxham Road.
6.13.6
The potential regional routings of construction delivery vehicles, once the NNDR is operational, are illustrated in Figure 17.
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Figure 17: Regional Routing of Construction Deliveries after construction of NNDR.
6.13.7
This demonstrates that after the completion of the NNDR, the bulk of HGV construction traffic is routed along the strategic highway network, the proposed NNDR and Wroxham Road, north of the proposed development.
6.13.8
It does not appear that any feasible rail freight options exist that avoid the necessity to transfer materials by road through Norwich. Construction trip generation
6.13.9
For the proposed development programme, it is anticipated that construction staff on Site will peak at between 200-240 workers and 10 management staff on Site at any time in each phase.
6.13.10 It is estimated that up to one-third of the workforce will arrive in their own vehicles, with the remainder arriving by bus or by shared private transport. 6.13.11 A 90 space temporary car park is proposed within the construction village, to safely accommodate construction staffs’ and trade operatives’ private vehicles. By limiting the scale of the construction staff car park, the use of public transport will be encouraged and the daily vehicle trip generation of the construction Site will be limited to a peak of 180 daily movements (90 arrivals plus 90 departures), limiting the traffic impact of the construction vehicle access on the A1151 Wroxham Road.
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6.13.12 The type and number of HGV construction vehicles generated during the construction period will be dependent on the different stages of construction, the mix of construction methods adopted, and the type and intensity of work being undertaken at the different stages. 6.13.13 The assessment includes external HGV traffic movements only, and excludes internal HGV traffic movements, such as transport of spoil and topsoil which is contained within the development boundary. Construction delivery vehicle trip generation 6.13.14 The type and number of construction vehicles generated during the construction period will be dependent on the different stages of construction, the mix of construction methods adopted, and the type and intensity of work being undertaken at the different stages. Table 9 highlights the anticipated plant and delivery vehicle requirements over a typical year consisting of approximately 200 residential units, based on traditional construction methods. Phase 1 equals 3 years and approximately 600 units, therefore 1 year equals approximately 200 units. This includes external HGV traffic movements only, and excludes internal HGV traffic movements, such as transport of spoil and topsoil within the development boundary. Table 9: Construction plant and delivery vehicle requirements over a typical year Vehicle
Total Weeks
Duration
Quantity (200 units)
Total External Movements
Notes
Plant Vehicles 5ft Dumper
Weeks 0-20
20
3
6
40ft Mobile Crane
Weeks 10-40
30
3
6
20ft Excavator
Weeks 0-32
32
3
6
Excavator JCB3cx
Weeks 0-32
32
3
6
Scrapers
Weeks 0-20
20
2
4
Telehandlers & Forklifts
Weeks 10-50
40
3
6
72ft Roller
Weeks 30-62
32
1
2
All plant vehicles remain on-site through out duration
Delivery Vehicles Ready mix lorries
Weeks 4-32
28
12 per week
672
Deliveries (frame)
Weeks 10-40
30
18 per week
1080
Deliveries (bricks/blocks)
Weeks 15-48
33
12 per week
792
Deliveries (roofing)
Weeks 13-45
32
6 per week
384
Deliveries (beam/flooring)
Weeks 4-32
28
6 per week
336
Deliveries (carpentry)
Weeks 17-56
39
6 per week
468
Deliveries (plumbing)
Weeks 17-57
40
6 per week
480
Deliveries (plasterboard)
Weeks 18-58
40
6 per week
480
Deliveries (finishes)
Weeks 20-62
42
6 per week
504
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6.13.15 Figure 18 illustrates an indicative schedule of construction vehicle movements across a construction programme for 200 units over a typical year. Figure 18: Construction plant and delivery vehicle requirements over a typical year 180 160 140 120 Construction movements per week
100 80
Average 60 40 20 0 0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
6.13.16 This demonstrates that at peak construction activity 162 construction delivery vehicle movements (arrivals plus departures) will be generated per week. Normal working hours each week are Monday to Friday 7am-6pm and Saturday 7.30am to 2pm, or 61.5 working hours. This equates to a peak maximum of around 30 HGV movements per day, or an indicative maximum of 3 HGV movements per hour. Access to the construction sites 6.13.17 Each feasible route of construction delivery vehicles accesses the application site on the A1151 Wroxham Road. The access point for all construction related delivery vehicles accessing the site in Phases 1-6 of the construction will be via Wroxham Road. 6.13.18 It is proposed to establish a main contractors’ compound (or “construction village”) on the site which can exist for the duration of the development without needing to be moved. This is anticipated to be located immediately north of the Sprowston Park & Ride site, adjacent to the proposed energy centre site where blocks WRS03 and WRS04 will ultimately be located, close to the A1151 Wroxham Road, from which all materials will enter the application site. 6.13.19 The only construction delivery vehicle access junction would be a temporary construction access onto Wroxham Road, just south of block WRS05. This will require temporary traffic controls to allow for right turns, but free flowing conditions for left in, and left out. Right turns would be restricted during the AM and PM peak traffic periods on Wroxham Road in order to limit the traffic impact of the construction delivery vehicle access.
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Delivery strategy and routing within the site 6.13.20 A detailed delivery plan for the development will be prepared by the appointed construction manager, which will schedule when materials arrive on a ‘just in time’ basis so as to avoid the build up of construction traffic along neighbouring roads.
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7.
Traffic Growth, Trip Generation and Distribution
7.1
Committed Development & Background Growth
7.1.1
It was agreed with NCC on 30 May 2012 that the most realistic background growth for the assessment of the network would be to include all committed and Joint Core Strategy (JCS) growth site traffic within the Broadland area. The future growth years agreed to assess are 2017, 2022 and 2032.
7.1.2
All committed developments and JCS growth location sites have been confirmed by NCC and the trips generated by these developments are included within the highway network flows and assessment of this TA.
7.1.3
The committed and JCS growth sites included within the future growth years can be seen in Table 10. This table excludes the proposed NS&OC development.
th
Table 10: Committed & JCS Growth Sites No. Of Dwellings to be Built
Residential Growth Site
Total
2012-2017
2017-2021
2021-2032
Hellesdon, Golf Course
0
200
400
600
Hellesdon, Hospital
0
66
134
200
Hellesdon, A140 Corridor
0
66
134
200
Drayton
0
37
75
112
Spixworth
0
7
12
19
178
1300
2500
3978
Blofield
0
15
29
44
Thorpe St Andrew
0
74
148
222
Sprowston (Home Farm)
235
0
0
235
Blue Boar Lane
400
278
555
1233
Taverham
0
31
63
94
Great and Little Plumstead
42
28
55
125
Land between Salhouse & Wroxham Rd
0
417
833
1250
Land between Salhouse & Plumstead Rd
200
350
700
1250
Brundal
0
13
25
38
Horsford
0
62
0
62
Horsham
0
9
16
25
Brook Farm
174
143
283
600
Total
1229
3096
5962
10287
Cumulative Total
1229
4325
10287
Rackheath Eco-Community
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7.1.4
Trip Rates as shown in Table 11 were extracted from the Traffic Forecasting Report for NNDR September 2011 as agreed with NCC. Table 11: NCC Trip Rates to determine background growth AM Peak 0800-0900
NCC Trip Rates Residential
7.1.5
PM Peak 1700-1800
In
Out
2-way
In
Out
2-Way
0.115
0.258
0.373
0.262
0.155
0.417
The methodology agreed with NCC to determine the growth in background traffic is as follows: •
Based on the level of development identified in Table 10, the two-way trip generation for the identified sites was calculated according to the trip rates in Table 11.
•
The generated trips were distributed onto the network according to the trip distribution provided by NCC SATURN Model for Norwich.
7.1.6
The methodology used to derive the background and committed traffic growth years can be seen within the Technical Note attached as Appendix D.5. The distribution of the growth and committed traffic through the network can be seen within the network flow diagrams attached in Appendix D.6.
7.2
Proposed Trip Rates & Trip Generation
7.2.1
Trip rates have been considered for both the residential and commercial aspects of the development for weekday AM and PM peaks. Residential Trip Rates
7.2.2
In order to derive the most appropriate trip rates for the residential element of the development a trip rate comparison exercise was undertaken where numerous trip rates from various sources were explored.
7.2.3
A Household Survey was undertaken for Lodge Farm residential development off Dereham Road (A1074) to investigate the travel patterns for existing residents living at a similar location to the site in relation to the Norwich City centre. Lodge Farm is on a radial route outside the Outer Ring Road but within the A47 Southern bypass, approximately 6 km from the city centre.
7.2.4
The Lodge Farm Household Survey is attached in Appendix D.7.
7.2.5
The following broadly summarises the methodology used to generate the proposed residential trip rates for the development: •
ATC traffic surveys were undertaken at a residential site at Lodge Farm (Norwich) at a comparable location to the development with two access points only and a known number of dwellings;
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7.2.6
•
Manual peak hour surveys were undertaken to validate the ATC surveys and to determine construction traffic;
•
Determining trip rates based on ATC surveys and the number of occupied dwellings within the surveyed area, but amended for construction traffic manually counted during peak hours;
•
Undertaking a household survey at Lodge Farm (Norwich) to determine number of daily trips, journey purpose, mode choice and distance travelled;
•
Analysing the result to determine which trips would be internalised by land use planning (education, retail, leisure, employment and recreation) and contained within the development boundary;
•
Applying a reduction of approximately 30% based on the above analysis to the ATC Trip Rates;
•
Applying a reduction of 11% for Personalised Travel Planning (PTP) as per the DfT’s 2007 research report ‘Making Personalised Travel Planning Work’. The PTP will be implemented through the marketing of the development as a sustainable development and with an induction prior to the completion of sale.
The technical notes, “The Residential Trip Rate Comparison Technical Note” and “Lodge Farm Trip Rate Reduction Analysis” are attached in Appendix D.8. Commercial Trip Rates
7.2.7
The TRICS 2011 Online Database was used to source trip rates for the commercial element of the development.
7.2.8
In order to establish reliable trip rates for the commercial element, an in depth search TRICS database was undertaken. Whilst undertaking searches for suitable sites, key parameters/criteria which related to the scale of commercial development and nature of the site were carefully considered.
7.2.9
Full TRICS Output Reports for the commercial trip rates are attached in Appendix D.9.
7.2.10
Similarly, the commercial trip rates were based on appropriate and comparable sites in the TRICS data base and reduced to allow for internalisation of trips due to proximity to employment within the development boundary. The methodology is described in the technical note attached in Appendix D.10.
7.2.11
Given that the development site is predominantly residential with some commercial, retail trip rates and traffic generation have been excluded from the assessment .It is considered that the majority of retail trips will be internalised and it is assumed that the retail peak generally occurs on a Saturday and will not affect the weekday peaks. Trip Generation
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7.2.12
The proposed trip rates are shown in Table 12. These trip rates therefore include the reduction for internalisation of trips within the development boundary and PTP.
Table 12: Proposed Development Trip Rates Weekday AM (08:00-09:00)
Weekday PM (17:00-18:00)
IN
OUT
TOTAL
IN
OUT
TOTAL
Residential Trip Rates (/Unit)
0.128
0.314
0.442
0.224
0.142
0.366
Commercial Trip Rates (/100m²)
0.608
0.076
0.684
0.063
0.554
0.617
7.2.13
The trip rates have been applied to the development’s GFA/number of units in order to produce trip generation figures.
7.2.14
The vehicular trips for Phase 1 are summarised in Table 13. Table 13: Accumulated Traffic Generation 2017 Development
Phase 1 AM
Residential (Units) Generated Trips
PM 584
258
Employment (m²)
214 6,750
Generated Trips
31
26
TOTAL TRIPS
290
239
7.2.15
However after the implementation for the FTP between 2017 to 2022, the trip rates are adjusted to reflect the residential target of 20% by 2022, and the commercial target of 40%.
7.2.16
Table 14 shows the accumulated vehicle trips for each phase. However, only the accumulated vehicle trips for phase 6 are modeled for the completed development in 2032.
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Table 14: Accumulated Traffic Generation 2032 Development Residential (Units) Generated Trips Employment (m²) Generated Trips TOTAL TRIPS
Phase 1 AM
PM
584 232
Phase 2 AM
Phase 3
PM
AM
1,180 193
6,750
468
Phase 4
PM
AM
1,764 389
700
11,200
PM
Phase 5 AM
2,385 582
947
14,000
PM 2,930
787
1163
14,000
Phase 6 AM
PM
3,518 967
16,000
1397
1161
16,000
31
26
52
43
65
53
65
53
74
61
263
218
521
432
765
635
1012
840
1238
1028
74
61
1471
1222
Sensitivity Test th
7.2.17
NCC requested during a consultation meeting on 30 May 2012 that the development be tested using the ATC surveyed trip rates at Lodge Farm.
7.2.18
These surveyed trip rates are based on a residential only site where there is no mixed land use, and any journey to access employment, education, local retail, leisure and recreation is an external trip onto the local highway network. The Lodge Farm the residents had not been provided with any travel planning guidance or informed of any local sustainable travel modes accessible to them. As a result, the trip rates observed by the ATC survey are significantly higher than those that would be derived using 2001 Census average data; effectively, they represent a relatively extreme case.
7.2.19
The 2001 travel to work data for the built-up areas of the Sprowston Central Ward shows that approximately 25% travel to work within 2 km. Since the development which broadly measures 2.7km in length and 1.2km in width, and over 1,000 employment opportunities are being provided on site, then the containment of travel to work trips should be considered.
7.2.20
Such assessment would be equivalent to assessing the cumulative impact of two stand alone developments, namely a residential development without any mixed use, and a commercial development.
7.2.21
This will clearly overestimate the level of trip generation where all trips would be externalised, and no adjustment will be made for local trips within 2km.
7.2.22
Consequently it is considered that these trip rates do not reflect the nature of the development for which planning permission is being sought, or take account of the emphasis within them on reducing and internalising trips.
7.2.23
Therefore this assessment will conduct a sensitivity test to determine the traffic impacts on the local network on the basis that this is a worst case scenario.
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7.2.24
However this worst case is tested for the assessment year 2017 only since the key objective of the development is to be a sustainable mix of land uses, and the delivery of the development over 20 years will be guided by such an objective. It is unreasonable to consider as a central case that the entire development will be completed without the principles of a sustainable mixed use development being implemented.
7.2.25
The “worst case” trip rates for both residential and commercial elements are shown in Table 15. Table 15: Proposed Development Trip Rates Weekday AM (08:00-09:00)
Weekday PM (17:00-18:00)
IN
OUT
TOTAL
IN
OUT
TOTAL
Residential Trip Rates (/Unit)
0.197
0.490
0.687
0.382
0.190
0.572
Commercial Trip Rates (/100m²)
0.913
0.114
1.027
0.095
0.832
0.927
7.2.26
The trip rates have been applied to the development’s GFA/number of units in order to produce “worse case” traffic generation figures.
7.2.27
The vehicular trips for phase 1 are summarised in Table 16. Table 16: Worst Case Traffic Generation for Phase 1 Development
Phase 1 AM
Residential (Units) Generated Trips Commercial (m²)
PM
584 401
334
6,750
Generated Trips
69
63
TOTAL TRIPS
470
397
7.3
Trip Distribution
7.3.1
The construction of NNDR has a significant impact on the traffic flow patterns, since the route provides an alternative route to travel around the north east quadrant of Norwich.
7.3.2
The SATURN Model prepared for the modelling of the NNDR has been used to determine the trip rates for the before and after NNDR scenario.
7.3.3
The following trip distribution figures for the proposed development were agreed with NCC: •
Without the NNDR 74% of development traffic will travel southbound, and
•
26% will travel northbound;
•
When NNDR is complete 58% of development traffic will travel southbound, and
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•
42% will travel northbound.
7.3.4
However there are three principle arterial routes available to residents so they have a choice in terms of which route to use, and this will influence the trip distribution onto the network.
7.3.5
Therefore Travel to Work Statistics, sourced from the 2001 Census Data, have been used to determine the route choice for residents travelling to employment in the following key employment destinations in Norwich: •
Norwich Town Centre and Southeast Norwich;
•
Southwest Norwich (University and Hospital) and the Airport Industrial area;
•
Broadland Business Park in the east;
•
Employment destinations to north of Norwich.
7.3.6
The spatial allocation of development trips has been considered when assuming the route a driver would take to access their employment location, based on spatial distribution percentages from travel to work statistics.
7.3.7
Therefore the trip distribution of development traffic onto the network has been calculated using NCC north-south trip distribution factors set out in paragraph 7.3.3 and the east-west distribution factors determined.
7.3.8
Construction phasing for the development site and its corresponding internal street network has also been taken into consideration when distributing traffic onto the network. The principal east west link across the site will be constructed in various phase, and the traffic distribution will alter when certain connections are made, e.g. The North Walsham Road to Wroxham Road link is anticipated to be constructed in Phase2.
7.3.9
Trips are only distributed along main arterial routes i.e. Smaller residential streets have not been used to assess the likely distribution of residential traffic.
7.3.10
Development trips have been assigned to the local highway network using existing turning proportions at specific junctions to determine the most likely distribution for all generated traffic.
7.3.11
The traffic flow diagrams illustrating the distribution of the development traffic are attached in Appendix D.11.
7.3.12
These illustrate the following scenarios: •
2017 without the NNDR and without the internal link road
•
2032 with the NNDR and internal link
7.4
Trip Generation
7.4.1
The trip generated from the development in 2017 and 2032 are distributed onto the network as per the agreed methodology.
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7.4.2
Full trip distribution percentages can be seen within Network Flow Diagrams attached in Appendix D.12.
7.5
Impact of the Northern Distributor Route (NNDR)
7.5.1
The construction of the NNDR has a significant impact on the distribution of traffic flows within the study area, and this assessment considers the traffic flow distribution for both with and without the NNDR scenarios.
7.5.2
The vehicle trips due to background growth are determined by applying different trip distribution as previously discussed. Similarly the vehicle trips due to the proposed development are also considered for both scenarios.
7.5.3
However, the existing vehicle trips on the network are also affected by the implementation of the NNDR and a proportion of these trips will re-route.
7.5.4
Therefore the existing vehicle trips on the network are adjusted by factors extracted from the Norwich SATURN which are based on the difference in link flows due to the construction of the NNDR. These adjustment factors for 2017 and 2032 are provided by the NCC and are attached in Appendix E.1.
7.5.5
The adjustment factors for 2022 are extrapolated from these two data sets.
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8.
Highway Capacity Assessment
8.1
Proposed assessments
8.1.1
The 2012 baseline has been assessed to determine the operation of the junctions under existing traffic loadings.
8.1.2
The proposed development will be brought forward over a period of 15-20 years in six phases. Each phase equates to an average of 587 dwellings and 4,200 m² of commercial space over a period of 3 years. The proposed development phasing is shown in Table 6 in Chapter 6.2.
8.1.3
The operation of the completed development is considered in relation to the impact of the proposed NNDR. The implementation of the strategic distributor to the north east of Norwich has a significant impact on the distribution of traffic within the agreed study area. The development impacts will therefore differ when the NNDR is open.
8.1.4
Therefore the development has been assessed when Phase 1 is complete in 2017 prior to the opening of the NNDR, and in 2032 when the entire development is complete and the NNDR is in operational. These scenarios represent the worst case scenarios for the traffic impacts of the development.
8.1.5
The level of construction activity will remain generally constant over the development programme based on a maximum delivery of 200 dwellings per year. Therefore the impact of construction traffic will be more severe during the initial phase of construction when the level of background traffic is at its lowest. During later phases, the background traffic increases, and the proportional impact is reduced.
8.1.6
Therefore the construction impacts have been assessed for the baseline year 2012, before any dwellings are completed, and before the construction of the NNDR. This represents the worst case for construction impacts.
8.1.7
The assessment year 2022 has been considered but the results are not required for this assessment.
8.2
Modelling
8.2.1
The study area encompasses the key arterial routes around the development including Wroxham Road, North Walsham Road, Spixworth Road and the A1042. The junctions are modelled using industry standard software.
8.2.2
The following signal controlled junctions have been modelled using LINSIGv2; •
Heartsease Lane/ Mousehold Lane/ Gurney Road/ Salhouse Road
•
North Walsham Road/ Barkers Lane
•
North Walsham Road/ White Woman Lane
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8.2.3
•
Spixworth Road/ Lodge Lane/ White Woman Lane
•
Mile Cross Lane/ Catton Grove Road/ St Faiths Road
•
North Walsham Road/George Hill
The following signal controlled junction has been modelled using TRANSYT12; •
8.2.4
8.2.5
8.2.6
Cromer Road/ Reepham Road/ A1042
The following roundabouts have been modelled using ARCADY6; •
Blue Boar Lane/ Wroxham Road/ Development Access
•
North Walsham Road/ A1042
•
St Faith’s Road/ Lodge Lane
•
Wroxham Road/ A1042
•
Wroxham Road/ Park & Ride Site
The following priority controlled junctions have been modelled using PICADY5; •
Buxton Road/ Beeston Lane
•
Fifer’s Lane/ St Faiths Road
•
North Walsham Road/ Beeston Lane
•
Spixworth Road/ The Paddocks
•
Wroxham Road/ Church Lane
•
Spixworth Road/George Hill
The magnitude of the traffic impacts are assessed as per Table 17. The increase in queue lengths (no of vehicles) and vehicle delay (seconds) are used to assess the magnitude of the traffic impacts at junctions while the percentage increase in traffic flow is used to assess the traffic impacts on links. Table 17: Classification of Impacts Classification
Description of Impact Significance Where the impact leads to serious and lasting disruption Over 90% increase in traffic flow past properties on dual carriageways. Over 45% increase in traffic flow past properties on single carriageways.
High
Junctions operating over the threshold of a DoS equal to 100% or a RFC equal to 1.00 with both increases in junction queue lengths greater than 20 vehicles and increases in vehicle delay greater than 40 seconds Permanent mitigation measures are likely to be required. Where the impact is of a temporary nature, or leading to disruption
Moderate
Over 60% increase in traffic flow past properties on dual carriageways. Over 30% increase in traffic flow past properties on single carriageways.
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Classification
Description of Impact Significance Increases in junction queue lengths greater than 10 vehicles, and increases in vehicle delay greater than 20 seconds Where the impact exceeds industry standard design thresholds but does not lead to disruption. 10%-30% increase in traffic flow past properties on dual carriageways. 10%-15% increase in traffic flow past properties on single carriageways.
Low
Junctions operating over the threshold of a DoS equal to 90% or a RFC equal to 0.85 Increases in junction queue lengths greater than 5 vehicles, and increases in vehicle delay greater than 10 seconds No mitigation measures are required. No perceivable impact. No discernible change in conditions or circumstances.
Negligible Junctions operating below the threshold of a DoS equal to 90% or a RFC No mitigation measures are required. Positive
Where the proposals result in an improvement to current conditions.
8.3
2012 Baseline
8.3.1
Traffic modelling of the junctions within the study area as identified in the scope has been carried out using the surveyed traffic flows for the AM and PM peak periods. A summary table of the 2012 Baseline junction modelling is attached in Appendix C.4: 2012 Baseline Junction Modelling.
8.3.2
For signalised junctions, the junction is considered to operate satisfactorily if the Degree of Saturation (DoS) on each approach lane is less than 90%. For priority junctions and roundabouts, the junction is considered to operate satisfactorily if the Ratio of Flow over Capacity (RFC) on each approach lane or arm is less than 0.85. The difference in threshold reflects the fact that a driver at an uncontrolled arm will be seeking a gap in the traffic rather than responding to signal control.
8.3.3
The results of the modelling show that the following junctions all operate at either a RFC below 0.85 or DoS below 90% in the 2012 baseline situation: •
Wroxham Road/P & R site;
•
Wroxham Road/Blue Boar Roundabout;
•
North Walsham Road/Barkers Lane;
•
North Walsham Road/George Hill;
•
North Walsham Road/Beeston Lane;
•
Spixworth Road/The Paddocks;
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•
Spixworth Road/George Hill;
•
Buxton Road/ Beeston Lane;
•
St Faith’s Road/Lodge Lane/Repton Avenue;
•
A1042/ Reepham Rd/Aylsham Rd/ A140 Cromer Rd Junction.
Wroxham Road/ Park & Ride Site 8.3.4
The Wroxham Road/ Park & Ride Site roundabout operates with a high level of spare capacity, with all approaches operating with an RFC below 0.50. The maximum observed RFC of 0.499 occurs on the Wroxham Road north approach in the PM Peak. Blue Boar Lane/ Wroxham Road Roundabout
8.3.5
The modelling shows that the Blue Boar Roundabout operates with a reasonable level of spare capacity, with all approaches operating with a Ratio of Flow to Capacity (RFC) below 0.80. The maximum observed RFC of 0.796 occurs on Blue Boar Lane in the PM Peak. North Walsham Road/ Barkers Lane
8.3.6
The results for this junction show that it operates with a reasonable level of spare capacity, with all approaches operating below 80% DoS except the Bakers Lane approach, which operates at 88.2% DoS in the PM Peak. North Walsham Road/George Hill
8.3.7
The results for this junction show that it operates with a good level of spare capacity, with all approaches operating below 80% DoS. North Walsham Road/ Beeston Lane
8.3.8
In both the AM and PM peaks the junction operates with significant levels of spare capacity on all approaches, with a maximum RFC of 0.019. Spixworth Road/ The Paddocks
8.3.9
As with the North Walsham Road/ Beeston Lane junction, the junction of Spixworth Road/ The Paddocks operates with significant levels of spare capacity on all approaches, in both the AM and PM peaks, with a maximum RFC of 0.358. Spixworth Road/George Hill
8.3.10
The junction of Spixworth Road/George Hill operates with a good level of spare capacity, with a maximum RFC of 0.590.
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Buxton Road/ Beeston Lane 8.3.11
The modelling shows the Buxton Road/Beeston Lane junction operates with a significant degree of spare capacity in both peak periods, with a maximum RFC of 0.007. St Faith’s Road/ Lodge Lane/Repton Avenue
8.3.12
The St Faith’s Road/ Lodge Lane roundabout operates with a high level of spare capacity, with all approaches operating with an RFC below 0.60. The maximum observed RFC of 0.55 occurs on Repton Avenue in the PM Peak. A1042/ Reepham Rd/Aylsham Rd/ A140 Cromer Rd Junction
8.3.13
The junction of Reepham Rd/Aylsham Rd/ Cromer Rd/A1042 operates with all arms operating with DoS below 90%. The maximum observed DoS of 89% occurs on the Mile Cross Lane left run approach in the AM Peak and the Cromer Road southbound approach in the PM Peak.
8.3.14
The above junctions all operate with an acceptable level of spare capacity.
8.3.15
However the following junctions operate with a DoS greater than 90%, for signalised junctions, or RFC greater than 0.85 for priority controlled junctions and roundabouts in the current 2012 AM and PM peaks: •
A1042 Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Salhouse Road/Gurney Road;
•
North Walsham Road/A1042;
•
North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Wroxham Road/A1042;
•
Wroxham Road/Church Lane.
•
Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane;
•
A1042 Mile Cross Lane/ Catton Grove Road/ St Faiths Road
•
St Faith’s Road/Fifer’s Lane.
A1042 Mousehold Lane/Salhouse Road/Gurney Road 8.3.16
The modelling shows that currently in both the AM and PM peaks the Mousehold Lane approach is operating in excess of a DoS equal to 90% in both lanes. Gurney Road also operates at 97% DoS in the PM and 89.9% DoS in the AM Peak. The remaining approaches operate with a reasonable level of spare capacity, except on the Salhouse Road Ahead and Right turn in the AM Peak, which operates at 88.1% DoS. North Walsham Road/ A1042
8.3.17
The junction of North Walsham Road/ A1042 is the most constrained junction on the modelled network. In both the AM and PM peaks the western arm of the A1042 exceeds capacity. In the
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AM Peak the eastern arm of the A1042 also exceeds capacity and operates with an RFC of 0.945 in the PM Peak. In the AM Peak the northern arm of Constitution Hill also operates with a relatively high level of RFC (0.895) and in the PM Peak the southern arm of Constitution Hill has an RFC of 0.877. North Walsham Road/ White Woman Lane 8.3.18
In the base AM Peak the maximum observed DoS is 96.4% on the White Woman Lane approach. The remaining approaches operate with DoS levels below 80%. In the base PM Peak the White Woman Lane approach operates with DoS of 94% and the North Walsham Road southbound ahead lane operates at 96.6% DoS. The remaining arms operate with a significant degree of spare capacity with DoS levels below 50%. Wroxham Road/ A1042
8.3.19
The Chartwell Road (A1042) approach operates close to capacity with an RFC of 0.949 in the AM peak and 0.909 in the PM peak. In the PM peak the Sprowston Road approach is also close to capacity with an RFC of 0.953 and in the AM Peak the Wroxham Road approach operates with an RFC of 0.936. Wroxham Road/ Church Lane
8.3.20
In the AM Peak the maximum RFC of 0.987 occurs on the Church Lane approach, all other approaches operate with an RFC below 0.9. In the PM peak the southbound right turn into Church Lane has the highest RFC value of 0.874, with the Church Lane approach showing a reasonable level of spare capacity. Spixworth Road/ Lodge Lane/ White Woman Lane
8.3.21
In the PM Peak the junction currently operates with a reasonable level of spare capacity, with all approaches operating below 82%. In the AM Peak the Spixworth Road northern approach operates at 94% DoS and the Long Lane right turn approach at 90.8% DoS. The remaining arms all operate at a DoS level below 90%. A1042 Mile Cross Lane/ Catton Grove Road/ St Faiths Road
8.3.22
Currently in both the AM and PM Peaks the critical arm is the St Faith’s Road ahead and left turn approach, which operates at 95.1% DoS in the AM Peak and 98.5% in the PM Peak. The remaining approaches operate below 80% DoS except the Catton Grove Road approach, which operates at 88.2% in the PM Peak. Fifer’s Lane/ St Faiths Road
8.3.23
In the PM Peak the junction operates with a good level of spare capacity, with a maximum RFC of 0.673. In the AM Peak the St Faith’s Road northern approach operates with an RFC of 0.934, with the southern approach operating with a significant level of spare capacity.
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8.3.24
It should be noted that when reviewing all the signalised junctions within the study area, whilst some operate with approaches close to capacity, it is considered that with the optimising of the stage timings there is scope to increase the overall capacity of the majority of the junctions.
Baseline Summary 8.3.25
There are existing traffic issues at some of the junctions described above, and these junctions will be sensitive to any additional traffic either from background growth, and the proposed development.
8.4
2012 Construction Traffic Impacts
8.4.1
The potential traffic impacts of construction were assessed by calculating the percentage increase in traffic resulting from staff and deliveries on Wroxham Road and the Outer Ring Road based on the 2012 Baseline AAWT.
8.4.2
Since the distribution of these trips could vary, the assessment considered a distribution of 100% in each direction on Wroxham Road. This allows the worst case scenario to be tested on both sections of Wroxham Road, north and south of the development.
8.4.3
The distribution of construction traffic from Wroxham Road onto the A1042 Outer Ring Road is assumed 50% west and 50% east, based on the distribution of 100% south along Wroxham Road.
8.4.4
The increase in traffic flows are shown in Table 18. Table 18: Potential Construction Traffic Flows 2012 Construction Traffic Impacts 2012 Base ATC Link Location
1 2 3 4
8
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park
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Construction Traffic Generation
Construction Impacts
Total
% HGVs
Cars
HGVs
% increase in Traffic
% Increase in HGVs
24093
7.8%
90
15
0.4%
0.1%
30066
8.5%
90
15
0.3%
0.0%
31113
7.5%
90
15
0.3%
0.0%
28817
7.3%
90
15
0.4%
0.1%
12130
8.4%
180
30
1.7%
0.2%
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11
Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke
18616
6.8%
180
30
1.1%
0.2%
8.4.5
Table 18 illustrates that the traffic impacts would be less than 2% and the increase in HGV traffic would be less than 1%. This demonstrates that the impact of construction traffic on the A5011 Wroxham Road and A1042 Outer Ring Road is negligible.
8.4.6
Even if the rate of construction was intensified to 400 dwellings per year, double the level anticipated, it is clear the impact of construction traffic on the wider local highway networks would be negligible. Furthermore, the construction of the NNDR would remove the majority of the HGV’s away from the highway network within the city boundaries by routing the deliveries via the NNDR.
8.4.7
Nevertheless, a Construction Traffic Management Plan will be implemented to manage and monitor the construction traffic to prevent any temporary spikes in construction traffic as embedded mitigation. A framework Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) is attached as Appendix G.1. The CTMP report details the schedule and phasing of construction, site access and route arrangements for construction materials and identifies further aspects that need to be provided by the contractor/contractors appointed to construct each phase of the development.
8.5
2017 assessment without the NNDR
8.5.1
The assessment considers the traffic impacts, both in terms of increase in link flows and the impact on junctions.
8.5.2
The methodology to determine the future baseline is described in Chapter 7.
8.5.3
The traffic flow diagrams illustrating the 2017 background growth on the network and the 2017 existing + background growth (2017 base) is attached in Appendix E.2.
8.5.4
The 2017 AADT and AAWT Future Baseline two-way flows are attached in Appendix E.3 and summarised in Table 19. Table 19: 2017 Future Baseline AAWT and AADT Flows without NNDR. AAWT (two-way
AADT (two-way
flows)
flows)
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way
24433
21245
Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close
30537
26530
Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill
31635
30044
Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove
29224
26706
St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery
518
486
Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane
6761
6384
ATC Location
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AAWT (two-way
AADT (two-way
flows)
flows)
11271
10856
12467
11889
St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane
18326
17165
Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road
16250
15746
Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke
19369
18610
Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road
9709
9258
White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road
6868
6507
Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks
5871
5528
Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road
19601
18406
Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road
5042
4681
George Hill – East of Beeches Close
4555
4281
Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road
17911
17350
Country Park Access Road – South of
1251
1252
Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road
2835
2631
Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
2657
2483
ATC Location North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park
Wroxham Road
8.6
2017 Development Trip Generation
8.6.1
The 2017 Development trip generation is calculated as per the methodology previously described in Chapter 7.
8.6.2
This assessment includes the embedded sustainable travel measures as follows:
8.6.3
•
Trips contained within the development due to mixed use (Employment, Local Retail, Education, Community, Leisure and Recreation
•
11% trip reduction due to Personalised Travel Planning
Based on the trip rates and the development phasing identified, the total development trips entering and exiting the site in 2017 are shown in Table 20.
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Table 20: Development Vehicle Trips in 2017 Development
Phase 1 AM
Residential (Units) Generated Vehicle Trips
PM 584
258
Employment (m²)
214 6,750
Generated Vehicle Trips
46
42
TOTAL TRIPS
304
256
8.6.4
The 2017 Development vehicle trips have been assigned to the local highway network using the methodology described in paragraphs 2.3.16 to 7.3.10.
8.6.5
The traffic flow diagrams for 2017 development trips and 2017 base + development for both AM and PM peaks are attached in Appendix E.4
8.6.6
The resultant AAWT and AADT 2017 Base + Development Flows are attached in Appendix E.5 and summarised in Table 21. Table 21: 2017 Base + Development AAWT and AADT Flows without the NNDR. AAWT (two-way flows)
AADT (two-way flows)
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way
25582
22434
Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close
31628
27659
Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill
32308
30763
Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove
29474
27296
St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery
518
486
Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane
6761
6384
North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane
12158
11782
Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park
12675
12112
St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane
18326
17165
Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road
18958
18616
Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke
19861
19151
Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road
9709
9258
White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road
6868
6507
Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks
5871
5528
ATC Location
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Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road
19601
18406
Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road
5042
4681
George Hill – East of Beeches Close
4555
4281
Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road
18093
17544
Country Park Access Road – South of Wroxham Road
1251
1252
Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road
2835
2631
Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
2657
2483
Link Flow Assessment 8.6.7
The resultant net change in AAWT and AADT link flows between the 2017 Base and 2017 Base + Development scenarios without the NNDR are displayed in Table 22. Table 22: Percentage Increase in Link Flows in 2017 due to Development Traffic AADT (twoway flows)
AAWT (twoway flows)
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way
4.7%
6%
Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close
3.6%
4%
Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill
2.1%
2%
Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove
0.9%
2%
St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery
0.0%
0%
Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane
0.0%
0%
North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane
7.9%
9%
Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park
1.7%
2%
St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane
0.0%
0%
Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road
16.7%
18%
Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke
2.5%
3%
Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road
0.0%
0%
White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road
0.0%
0%
Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks
0.0%
0%
Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road
0.0%
0%
Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road
0.0%
0%
George Hill – East of Beeches Close
0.0%
0%
Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road
1.0%
1%
ATC Location
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Country Park Access Road – South of Wroxham Road
0.0%
0%
Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road
0.0%
0%
Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
0.0%
0%
8.6.8
The only link where the development increases traffic flow by more than 10% is Constitution Hill, where the increase in AADT link flow is 16.7%.
8.6.9
At this increase is less than 30% it is considered to be of minor impact.
8.6.10
This demonstrates that in 2017, all increases in traffic link flows from the proposed development are acceptable.
Junction Capacity Assessment 8.6.11
The identified junctions have been modelled for the 2017 Future Baseline and the 2017 Future Baseline plus Development to demonstrate the impact of the proposed development traffic at these locations. The modelling results for both scenarios are attached in Appendix E.6: 2017 Junction modelling without the NNDR.
8.6.12
The results of the modelling show that the following junctions will operate at either a RFC below 0.85 or DoS below 90%: •
Wroxham Road/P & R site;
•
Wroxham Road/Blue Boar Roundabout;
•
North Walsham Road/Barkers Lane;
•
Spixworth Road/The Paddocks;
•
Spixworth Road/George Hill;
•
St Faith’s Road/Lodge Lane/Repton Avenue;
•
St Faiths Road/George Hill;
•
A1042/A140 Junction;
•
Beeston Lane/Buxton Road;
•
Beeston Lane/North Walsham Road.
8.6.13
The junctions of George Hill with St Faiths Road and Spixworth Road are considered to operate satisfactorily since the junction modelling scenario for 2022 without NNDR shows both junctions operating below the RFC=0.85 and DoS =85% thresholds.
8.6.14
However, with the inclusion of the background traffic growth, and the proposed development flows the following junctions will operate with DoS greater than 90%, for signalised junction, or
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RFC greater than 0.85 for priority controlled junctions and roundabouts in the forecasted 2017 AM and PM peaks: •
Salhouse Rd/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Gurney Road;
•
North Walsham Road/A1042;
•
Wroxham Road/A1042;
•
North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Fifer’s Lane/St Faith’s Road;
•
Wroxham Road/Church Lane.
Salhouse Rd/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Gurney Road Junction 8.6.15
When considering the 2017 future baseline at the above junction, the junction will operate during the AM peak at DoS greater than 90% but less than 100% on the Salhouse Road, Mousehold Lane and Heartsease Lane approaches. During the PM, the Mousehold Lane RT lane and Gurney Road will operate at DoS just greater than 100%.
8.6.16
Therefore the junction is operating at levels approaching capacity and/or just exceeding capacity before the impact of the proposed development is considered.
8.6.17
At the above junction in the AM Peak the Mousehold Lane right turn arm shows the maximum increase in DoS between the 2017 base and the 2017 proposed development scenario as 5.2% (92.6% to 97.8%). However this only generates an increase in queue length of less than 5 vehicles with an increased delay of less than 5 seconds. The maximum increase in DoS on the remaining arms is 2% or less, with negligible increase in queue length and vehicle delay. This is a negligible impact.
8.6.18
In the PM Peak, when considering links which exceed 90%, the only link showing an increase in DoS is Mousehold Lane ahead and left turn, with a 2.2% increase (99.4% to 101.6%). This generates an increase in queue length of less than 10 vehicles, and corresponding time delay of less than 10 seconds. This is low impact in terms of driver perception. Though there is no increase in DoS in Gurney Road arm, there is an increase in queue length greater than 10 vehicles, but no increase in delay. This is a low impact in terms of road users.
8.6.19
The impact of the development traffic at this junction is low and is considered acceptable. North Walsham Road/A1042
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8.6.20
When considering the 2017 future baseline, in the AM peak, two arms on this junction will operate at a RFC greater than 1.00. This junction exceeds capacity due to the existing high levels of traffic on A1042 east and west.
8.6.21
When considering the impact of the development traffic in the AM Peak, the RFC of the eastern approach increases by 0.08 from 1.16 to 1.24. The western approach increases by 0.03 from 1.02 to 1.05 and the Constitution Hill northern arm from 0.82 to 0.92, an increase of 0.1. This increases the queue length on A1042 eastern arm by approximately 113 vehicles and a corresponding vehicle delay equal to 275 seconds. However the average vehicle delay for the junction is approximately 134 seconds. The magnitude of the impact is high.
8.6.22
In the PM Peak, the only arm which will operate over a RFC greater than 0.85 is the A1042 western arm which will operate at a RFC equal to 1.00, an increase of 0.05. This generates increases the queue length on A1042 Western Arm by approximately 22 vehicles and a vehicle delay of approximately 67 seconds. However the average vehicle delay for the junction is approximately 26 seconds. The magnitude of the impact is high.
8.6.23
Though the impact on the development traffic on this junction is high, it should be noted that;
8.6.24
•
the validity of traffic modelling results is considered less reliable due to the RFC’s significantly exceeding 1.00;
•
the increase in traffic link flows is low; and
•
the increase in traffic in the AM peak is in the order of 179 development trips entering the junction in comparison to the baseline flow of 2930 vehicles flowing through the junction.
The junction is currently operating above capacity and the addition of the background growth traffic and development traffic worsens the situation. Therefore mitigation will need to be considered to address both the existing conditions, the future growth in North East Norwich, and the development. Wroxham Road/A1042 Junction
8.6.25
When considering the 2017 future baseline, three arms at the above junction will operate at RFC greater than 0.85 but less than 1.00 in both the AM and PM peaks. This implies the junction is approaching capacity before considering development traffic.
8.6.26
At the above junction in the AM Peak, the maximum increase in RFC is 0.02 (0.98 to 1.00) on the Wroxham Road arm, with all other arms operating under a RFC of 1.00 and with an increase of 0.02. When considering the impacts on vehicles using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is approximately 5.5 vehicles on the Chartwell Road arm while the maximum increase in vehicle delay is just greater than 13 seconds on the Wroxham Road. This is a low impact for road users.
8.6.27
In the PM Peak the maximum increase in RFC of 0.03 is on the Sprowston Road arm (0.99 to 1.02), with all other arms operating under 1.00 and with an increase of 0.03, or less. When considering the impacts on vehicles using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length
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is approximately 8 vehicles on the Sprowston Road arm while the maximum increase in vehicle delay is just less than 22 seconds on the Wroxham Road. This is a moderate impact for road users. 8.6.28
With the addition of the development traffic, the junction is operating at capacity. The impact of the development is moderate, but there is no capacity for future growth. North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane Junction
8.6.29
When considering the 2017 future baseline, two arms at the above junction will operate at RFC greater than 0.85 but less than 1.00 in both the PM peak. This implies the junction is approaching capacity.
8.6.30
At the above junction in the AM Peak, the maximum DoS values are 93.5% on North Walsham Road northern ahead approach and 92.8% on the White Woman Lane approach. This is an increase of 8.2% and 9.3% respectively from the base scenario. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is just greater than 7 vehicles on the North Walsham Road southbound ahead while the maximum increase in vehicle delay is approximately 4 seconds on the same arm. On all other arms, the increase is queue length is less than 5 vehicles, and the vehicle delay is less than 3 seconds. The magnitude of the traffic impacts in the AM peak is low.
8.6.31
In the PM Peak the maximum DoS values are 105.4% on North Walsham Road southern ahead approach and 100.7% on the White Woman Lane approach. This is an increase of 8.8% and 6.7% respectively from the base scenario. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is just less than 20 vehicles on the North Walsham Road northbound ahead approach while the corresponding increase in vehicle delay is just less than 19 seconds on the same arm. On all other arms, the increase in queue length is less than 5 vehicles, and the vehicle delay is less than 2 seconds. The magnitude of the traffic impacts in the PM peak is moderate.
8.6.32
With the addition of the development traffic, the junction is operating at above capacity. The impact of the development is moderate, but there is no capacity for future growth. Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane
8.6.33
Though the junction of Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane operates above DoS value of 80% in the AM Peak with a maximum DoS values of 94.0% on Spixworth Road northern approach and 90.8% on the Lodge Lane right turn, there is no development traffic at this junction and therefore these results also reflect the base scenario. Fifer’s Lane/St Faith’s Road
8.6.34
At the junction of Fifer’s Lane/St Faith’s Road the PM Peak will operate under 0.70 RFC. In the AM Peak the maximum RFC will be 0.934 on the St Faith’s Road north approach. As with
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Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane, there is no development traffic at this junction and therefore these results also reflect the base scenario. Wroxham Road/Church Lane 8.6.35
When considering the 2017 future baseline, the Church Lane to Wroxham Road northbound arm will be operating at an RFC greater than 1.00 in the AM peak, while in the PM peak, Wroxham Road southbound to Church Lane will be operating at a RFC greater than 0.85 but less than 1.00. This demonstrates that the junction is operating above capacity before the development traffic is considered.
8.6.36
At the junction of Wroxham Road/Church Lane in the AM Peak the maximum increase in RFC is 0.013 (1.018 to 1.031) on the Church Lane to Wroxham Road north approach. All other arms in the AM Peak operate under 0.9 RFC. When considering the impacts on vehicles using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is just less than 2 vehicles on the Church Lane to Wroxham Road north approach while the corresponding increase in vehicle delay is just less than 10 seconds on the same arm. On the Church Lane to Wroxham Road arm, though the increase in queue is less than one vehicle, the increase in vehicle delay is approximately 7 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue length and vehicle delay is negligible. The magnitude of the traffic impacts in the AM peak is low.
8.6.37
In the PM Peak, the only arm which operates over an RFC of 0.9 is the Wroxham Road north to Church Lane approach, an increase of 0.06 from the base scenario to 0.916. When considering the impacts on vehicles using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is less than 1 vehicle on the Wroxham Road north to Church Lane right turn while the corresponding increase in vehicle delay is approximately 2 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue length and vehicle delay is negligible. The magnitude of the effect in the PM peak is negligible.
8.6.38
With the addition of the development traffic, the junction is operating at above capacity. The impact of the development is low, but there is no capacity for future growth. 2017 Assessment Summary
8.6.39
To summarise, the only significant traffic impacts when considering the development impacts on future 2017 baseline, prior to the construction of the NNDR is at the North Walsham Road/A1042 junction. Mitigation will be considered at this junction to reduce the impact of development traffic at this junction.
8.6.40
However it should be noted that before the traffic impact of the development is considered, North Walsham Road/A1042 junction already exceeds capacity in 2012 baseline, and the situation worsens in the forecasted 2017 baseline.
8.7
2017 Sensitivity Test
8.7.1
The NCC has requested that the development impacts are assessed without any consideration for the benefits associated with mixed use, and any sustainable approach to development.
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8.7.2
The methodology for this sensitivity test is to consider the traffic impacts as if the development was a stand-alone residential development without any associated land uses that might contain any development trips within the development boundary and stand-alone employment development with the same assumptions.
8.7.3
The revised trip generation based on the trip rates in Table 15 and distributed onto the network is attached in Appendix E.7.
8.7.4
The identified junctions are modelled for the 2017 Base (Future Baseline) and the 2017 Sensitivity Test (Future Baseline plus Development-no mixed use and no PTP). The modelling results are attached in Appendix E.8: 2017 Sensitivity Test Junction modelling without the NNDR.
8.7.5
The results of the modelling show that the following junctions will all operate at either a RFC below 0.85 or DoS below 90%: •
Wroxham Road/Park & Ride Site
•
Blue Boar / Wroxham Road Roundabout
•
North Walsham Rd/ Barkers Lane
•
Spixworth Rd/White Woman Lane
•
The Paddocks/Spixworth Road
•
St Faith's Road/Lodge Lane
•
North Walsham Rd/Beeston Lane
•
Buxton Road/Beeston Lane
•
Fifers Lane/St Faith's Road
•
St Faith's Rd/ Mile Cross Lane
•
Reepham Rd/Aylsham Rd/ Cromer Rd/A1042
8.7.6
Therefore the magnitude of the development traffic impacts on these junctions will be negligible.
8.7.7
However the following junctions will operate with DoS greater than 90%, for signalised junctions, or RFC greater than 0.85 for priority with the inclusion of the background traffic growth, and the proposed development flows, controlled junctions and roundabouts in the forecasted 2017 AM and PM peaks: •
Salhouse Rd/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Gurney Road;
•
North Walsham Road/A1042;
•
Wroxham Road/A1042;
•
North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane;
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•
Fifer’s Lane/St Faith’s Road;
•
Wroxham Road/Church Lane.
Salhouse Rd/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Gurney Road 8.7.8
When considering the 2017 future baseline at the above junction, the junction will operate during the AM peak at DoS greater than 90% but less than 100% on the Salhouse Road (ahead and right turn), Mousehold Lane and Gurney Road approaches. During the PM, the Mousehold Lane RT lane and Gurney Road operate at DoS just greater than 100%.
8.7.9
At the above junction in the AM Peak the maximum increase in DoS between the 2017 base and the 2017 proposed development scenario will be 5.2% (92.6% to 97.8%) on the Mousehold Lane right turn. However this generates a maximum increase in queue length of approximately 3 vehicles with an increased delay of approximately 4 seconds on the Salhouse Road ahead and right turn. The maximum DoS increase on the remaining arms is 2% or less, with negligible increase in queue length and vehicle delay. This is a negligible impact in terms of road users.
8.7.10
In the PM Peak, when considering links which exceed 90%, the only link showing an increase in DoS is Mousehold Lane ahead and left turn, with a 2.8% increase (99.4% to 102.2%). This generates a maximum increase in queue length of approximately 7 vehicles and corresponding time delay of approximately 7 seconds on Mousehold Lane Left turn and ahead. This is low impact in terms of driver perception. Though there is no increase in DoS in the Gurney Road arm, there is an increase in queue length of approximately 14 vehicles, but no increase in delay. This is a low/moderate impact in terms of road users.
8.7.11
The impact is low/moderate, and the overarching principles of the NS & OC development will mitigate against these impacts. The residual impacts are low after considering a sustainable mixed use development. North Walsham Road/A1042
8.7.12
When considering the 2017 future baseline, in the AM peak, two arms on this junction will operate at a RFC greater than 1.00 (A1042 eastern and western arms). This junction will operate above capacity due to the existing high levels of traffic on A142 east and west. The addition of the background growth and development traffic increases the congestion, and the validity of traffic modelling results is considered less reliable due to the RFC’s significantly exceeding 1.00.
8.7.13
However it should be noted that the increase in traffic in the AM peak is in the order of 179 development trips entering the junction in comparison to the baseline flow of 2930 vehicles flowing through the junction.
8.7.14
When considering the impact of the development traffic in the AM Peak, the RFC of the A1042 eastern approach increases by 0.3 from 1.16 to 1.56. The A1042 western approach increases
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by 0.2 from 1.02 to 1.21 and the Constitution Hill northern arm from 0.82 to 1.07, an increase of 0.25. The magnitude of the impact is high and mitigation is required. 8.7.15
When considering the impact of the development traffic in the PM Peak, the RFC of the A1042 eastern approach will increase by 0.19 from 0.84 to 1.02. The RFC of the A1042 western approach will increase by 0.21 from 0.96 to 1.62 and the Constitution Hill southern arm from 0.7 to 1.09, an increase of 0.39. The magnitude of the impact is high and mitigation is required.
8.7.16
The impact of the development without any mixed use and sustainable travel measures is high. However, this sensitivity test treats the residential and employment elements of the development proposal as stand-alone developments.
8.7.17
The overarching principles of the NS & OC development will mitigate against these impacts, and the 2017 Assessment demonstrates that the impacts are reduced, though mitigation is required for this junction. Wroxham Road/A1042 Junction
8.7.18
When considering the 2017 future baseline, three arms at the above junction will be operating at RFC greater than 0.85 but less than 1.03 in both the AM and PM peaks. This implies the junction is approaching congestion.
8.7.19
At the above junction in the AM Peak, the maximum increase in RFC is 0.05 (0.97 to 1.03) on the Wroxham Road arm. The increase in RFC at the Chartwell Road (A1042) arm is also 0.05. All other roads will have an increase in RFC of less than 0.04. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is approximately 15 vehicles on the Chartwell Road arm while the maximum increase in vehicle delay is 29 seconds on Wroxham Road. This is a moderate impact.
8.7.20
In the PM Peak the maximum increase in RFC is 0.04 on the Sprowston Road and Mousehold Lane south arms (0.89 to 0.93 on Mousehold Lane and 0.99 to 1.03 on the Sprowston Road arm), with all other arms operating under 1.00 and with an increase of 0.03, or less. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is approximately 8 vehicles on the Sprowston Road arm while the maximum increase in vehicle delay is just less than 23 seconds on the Wroxham Road. This is a moderate impact.
8.7.21
The overarching principles of the NS & OC development will mitigate against these impacts, and the 2017 Assessment demonstrates that the impacts are reduced and no mitigation is required. North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane Junction
8.7.22
When considering the 2017 future baseline, all arms apart from the North Walsham Road (north ahead) arm (at 85.3%), will operate at DoS less than 85% during the AM peak. During the PM peak, two junctions will operate over 85% DoS in the 2017 Baseline. This implies the junction is approaching congestion.
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8.7.23
At the above junction in the AM Peak, the maximum DoS values will be 99% on the North Walsham Road northern ahead approach and 96.4% on the White Woman Lane approach. This is an increase of 13.5% and 12.9% respectively from the base scenario. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is just greater than 16 vehicles on the North Walsham Road northbound ahead while the maximum increase in vehicle delay is approximately 10 seconds on the same arm. On all other arms, the increase is queue length is less than 5 vehicles, and the vehicle is less than 5 seconds. The magnitude of the traffic impacts in the AM peak is moderate.
8.7.24
In the PM Peak the maximum DoS values will be 110% on North Walsham Road southern ahead approach and 108.5% on the White Woman Lane approach. This is an increase of 13.5% and 14.5% respectively from the base scenario. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is 36 vehicles on the North Walsham Road southbound ahead approach while the corresponding increase in vehicle delay is 35 seconds on the same arm. On White Woman Lane, the increase in queue length will be 13 vehicles, with an increase in delay of 13 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue length will be less than 2 vehicles, and the vehicle delay less than 1 second. The magnitude of the traffic impacts in the PM peak is moderate.
8.7.25
The overarching principles of the NS & OC development will mitigate against these impacts, and the 2017 Assessment demonstrates that the impacts are reduced, and no mitigation is required. Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane
8.7.26
Though the junction of Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane, operates above DoS value of 80% in the AM Peak with a maximum DoS values of 94.0% on Spixworth Road northern approach and 90.8% on the Lodge Lane right turn, there is no development traffic at this junction and therefore these results also reflect the base scenario. Fifer’s Lane/St Faith’s Road
8.7.27
At the junction of Fifer’s Lane/St Faith’s Road the PM Peak operates under 0.70 RFC. In the AM Peak the maximum RFC is 0.934 on the St Faith’s Road north approach. As with Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane there is no development traffic at this junction and therefore these results also reflect the base scenario. Wroxham Road/Church Lane
8.7.28
When considering the 2017 future baseline, the Church Lane to Wroxham Road northbound arm will be operating at RFC greater than 1.00 in the AM peak, while in the PM peak, the Wroxham Road southbound to Church Lane will be operating at a RFC greater than 0.85 but less than 1.00. Though these issues are identified, the junction is not considered as congested.
8.7.29
At the junction of Wroxham Road/Church Lane in the AM Peak the maximum increase in RFC is 0.03 (1.018 to 1.052) on the Church Lane to Wroxham Road north approach. All other arms in
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the AM Peak operate under 0.91 RFC. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is 5 vehicles on the Church Lane to Wroxham Road north approach while the corresponding increase in vehicle delay is 24 seconds on the same arm. On the Church Lane to Wroxham Road south arm, though the increase in queue is less than one vehicle, the increase in vehicle delay is approximately 22 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue length and vehicle delay is negligible. The magnitude of the effect in the AM peak is moderate. 8.7.30
In the PM Peak, the only arm which will operate over an RFC of 0.9 is the Wroxham Road north to Church Lane approach, an increase of 0.45 from the base scenario to 0.906. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, there is no increase in queue length or vehicle delay. The magnitude of the effect in the PM peak is negligible.
8.7.31
The overarching principles of the NS & OC development will mitigate against these impacts, and the 2017 Assessment demonstrates that the impacts are reduced and no mitigation is required. Summary
8.7.32
To summarise, when considering the worst case scenario with two stand alone developments with no connections, there are high traffic impacts when considering the inclusion of the development traffic on future 2017 baseline, prior to the construction of the NNDR, on the North Walsham Road/A1042 junction.
8.7.33
On all other junctions, the level of adverse impact increases, but overall the development impacts are not high.
8.7.34
Mitigation will be provided by both a sustainable approach to development and the mix of land uses which will reduce the impacts to the levels as demonstrated in 2017 assessment without NNDR Assessment.
8.7.35
This implies that only mitigation to A1042/North Walsham Road Junction will be considered to reduce the development impacts in the short term.
8.8
2032 Traffic Impacts
8.8.1
The NNDR will be constructed before the completion of the proposed development and therefore is considered as embedded highway infrastructure improvement when assessing the future 2032 baseline.
8.8.2
As previously described in Chapter 7, the implementation of the NNDR distributes more development traffic north away from the local highway network to the south.
8.8.3
Future Baseline flows for 2032 are calculated according to the methodology identified in Chapter 7. The 2032 Growth and 2032 Future Baseline Trips (Existing + 2032 Growth) are attached in Appendix F.1.
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8.8.4
The resultant traffic link flows for the 2032 AADT and AAWT Future Baseline are also attached in Appendix F.1 and summarised in Table 23.
Table 23: 2032 Future Baseline AAWT and AADT Flows with NNDR. ATC Location
AAWT (twoway flows)
AADT (twoway flows)
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road George Hill – East of Beeches Close Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road Country Park Access Road – South of Wroxham Road Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
25398 31750 32940 29794 518 6761 11271 17030 18487 16175 22914 10091 6868 5871 19799 5042 4555 17684 1251 2835 2838
22243 27784 31439 27358 486 6384 10856 16805 17337 15666 22509 9674 6507 5528 18614 4681 4281 17108 1252 2631 2686
8.8.5
The 2032 Development trip generation is calculated as per the methodology previously described in Chapter 7.
8.8.6
This assessment includes the embedded sustainable travel measures as follows: •
Trips contained within the development due to mixed use (Employment, Local Retail, Education, Community, Leisure and Recreation
•
11% trip reduction due to personalised travel planning
•
9% trip reduction due to implementation of the FTP post 2017
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8.8.7
It also includes the construction of the internal link between North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road which serves to distribute the development trips more evenly onto the local highway network.
8.8.8
Table 24 summarises the number of development vehicle trips to and from the development in 2032. Table 24: Development Vehicle Trips in 2032 Development
Phase 1- 6 AM
Residential (Units) Generated Trips
3,518 1,397
Employment (m²) Generated Trips TOTAL TRIPS
PM 1,161
16,000 74
61
1,471
1,222
8.8.9
The 2032 Development trips have been assigned to the local highway network using the same methodology described in Chapter 7.
8.8.10
The resultant trip generation on the road network is illustrated in the traffic flow diagrams for AM and PM attached in Appendix F.2. The total 2032 trips for 2032 Base + Development Trips are also attached in Appendix F.2.
8.8.11
The resultant AAWT and AADT 2032 Future Baseline plus Development Flows are attached in Appendix F.3 and summarised in Table 25. Table 25: 2032 Future Baseline + Development AAWT and AADT Flows with the NNDR. ATC Location Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks
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AADT (twoway flows)
AAWT (twoway flows)
28164 34457 33201 30609 518 6772 16045 20984 18997 22628 26112 10091 6868 6024
25107 30584 31718 28289 486 6395 15838 21065 17880 22506 26026 9674 6507 5696
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Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road George Hill – East of Beeches Close Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road Country Park Access Road – South of Wroxham Road Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
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20068 5914 4555 18956 1251 3201 2838
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18895 5583 4281 18463 1252 3034 2686
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8.9
2032 Traffic Impacts
8.9.1
The assessment considers both the traffic impacts in terms of increase in link flows and the impact on junctions. Link Flow Assessment
8.9.2
The difference in links flows between Table 23 and Table 25 is used to calculate the increase in traffic flows on their identified links.
8.9.3
The resultant net change in AAWT and AADT link flows between the 2032 Baseline and 2032 Base plus Development scenarios with the NNDR are shown in Table 26. Table 26: Percentage Increase in Link Flows in 2032 due to Development Traffic ATC Location Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close Chartwell Road – East of Constitution Hill Mousehold Lane – South of Alford Grove St Faith’s Road – North of Cemetery Buxton Road – North of Beeston Lane North Walsham Road – North of Beeston Lane Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park St Faith’s Road – North of Miles Cross Lane Constitution Hill – South of Parkland Road Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke Barkers Lane – West of Cozens-Hardy Road White Woman Lane – West of Longe Road Lodge Lane – West of the Paddocks Fifers Lane – West of St Faith’s Road Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road George Hill – East of Beeches Close Blue Boar Lane – South of Wroxham Road Country Park Access Road – South of Wroxham Road Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road Falcon Road – North of Martin Close
8.9.4
AADT (two-way flows) 10.9% 8.5% 0.8% 2.7% 0.0% 0.2% 42.4% 23.2% 2.8% 39.9% 14.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.6% 1.4% 17.3% 0.0% 7.2% 0.0% 12.9% 0.0%
AAWT (two-way flows) 12.9% 10.1% 0.9% 3.4% 0.0% 0.2% 45.9% 25.3% 3.1% 43.7% 15.6% 0.0% 0.0% 3.0% 1.5% 19.3% 0.0% 7.9% 0.0% 15.3% 0.0%
The following links show a moderate impact with an increase in traffic flows greater than 30% but less than 60%; the North Walsham Road (North of Beeston Lane) and Constitution Hill (South of Parkland Road).
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8.9.5
The increase in traffic on North Walsham Road is principally due to the construction of the NNDR, which draws traffic away from the residential areas to the south and distributes development trips to the west and east. Though there is an adverse impact on these links, there is a significant beneficial impact to the road links to the south of the development.
8.9.6
The increase on Constitution Hill is due to the fact that North Walsham Road forms the central radial route through the development and therefore distributes more traffic than the other two radial routes.
8.9.7
The following links show a low traffic impact with an increase less than 30% but greater than 10%: •
Mile Cross Lane – East of Partridge Way;
•
Chartwell Road – East of Swinbourne Close;
•
Wroxham Road – North of Access to Country Park;
•
Wroxham Road – North of Porter’s Loke;
•
Church Street – East of St Faith’s Road;
•
Spixworth Road – North of Chartwell Road.
8.9.8
The magnitude of the increase in traffic flow on these links is considered low and therefore is acceptable.
8.9.9
The magnitude of the traffic impact on all other links is less than 10% and is considered negligible. Junction Capacity Assessment
8.9.10
The identified junctions have been modelled for the 2032 Future Baseline and the 2032 Future Baseline plus Development to investigate the impact of the development on the capacity and operation of the junction.
8.9.11
The modelling results are attached in Appendix F.4: 2032 Junction modelling with the NNDR.
8.9.12
The results of the modelling show that the following junctions will all operate within DoS of less than 85% and a RFC of less than 0.85: a)
Wroxham Road/P & R site;
b)
Wroxham Road./Church Lane;
c)
North Walsham Road/Barkers Lane;
d)
Spixworth Road/The Paddocks;
e)
St Faith’s Road/Lodge Lane/Repton Avenue;
f)
St Faith’s Road/Fifers Lane;
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g)
St Faith’s Road/A1042;
h)
A1042/A140 Junction;
i)
Beeston Lane/Buxton Road;
j)
Beeston Lane/North Walsham Road.
8.9.13
Therefore the magnitude of the development traffic impacts on these junctions is negligible.
8.9.14
The results of the junction modelling show that the following junctions operate with a DoS greater than 90%, for signalised junction, or a RFC greater than 0.85 for priority controlled junctions and roundabouts in the forecasted 2032 AM and PM peaks: •
Salhouse Rd/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Gurney Road;
•
North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Blue Boar Roundabout;
•
North Walsham Road/A1042 Roundabout;
•
Wroxham Road/A1042.
Salhouse Road/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Gurney Road Junction 8.9.15
When considering the 2032 baseline, the junction will operate at DoS on the various arms between 85% and 95% in the AM peak. The junction is approaching capacity in AM with the spare capacity reduced.
8.9.16
During the PM peak, the junction will operate at DoS greater than 100% on two arms, namely the Mousehold Lane Left Turn/Ahead approach and Right Turn approach. The junction exceeds capacity in the PM peak.
8.9.17
At the above junction in the AM Peak the maximum increase in DoS is 3.2% (92.1% to 93.6%) on the Salhouse Road Ahead/Right Turn approach lane when considering the 2032 traffic flows with the development. This will generate an increase in queue length of less than 5 vehicles with an increased delay of less than 5 seconds. The maximum increase in DoS on the remaining lanes is 1.5%, or less with an increase in queue lengths less than 3 vehicles and vehicle delay less than 2 seconds. This is negligible impact on the vehicles using the junction.
8.9.18
In the PM Peak, when considering links which exceed 90% the only link showing an increase in DoS is Gurney Road with a 2.3% increase to 101.6%. This generates an increase in queue length of less than 5 vehicles, and corresponding time delay of approximately 5 seconds. All other approach lanes either experience a small improvement or a negligible impact. The magnitude of the traffic impact is negligible.
8.9.19
This junction operates approaching capacity in the AM peak, and exceeding capacity on one arm in the PM peak. The impact of the 2032 development trips on this junction is negligible and no mitigation is required.
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North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane Junction 8.9.20
When considering the 2032 baseline, the above signalised junction operates with DoS less than 90% on all arms. This implies the junction has available capacity in both peaks.
8.9.21
When considering the inclusion of the development traffic on the traffic flows, the following is observed.
8.9.22
During the AM Peak the North Walsham Road north ahead approach operates at a DoS of 95% (an increase of 22.3% from the base) and the White Woman Lane approach at a DoS of 93.6% (an increase of 22.6% from the base). Though the increase in DoS is high, the increase in queue length on the North Walsham Road north ahead approach is approximately 16 vehicles while the corresponding vehicle delay on this arm is less than 10 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue lengths is less than 5 vehicles and the vehicle delay is less than 5 seconds. The magnitude of the maximum on this junction is moderate.
8.9.23
During the PM peak, the above junction operates at DoS less than 90%. Therefore any impacts on this junction are considered negligible.
8.9.24
Overall, the impact of the 2032 development traffic is moderate. Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane
8.9.25
When considering the 2032 baseline, the Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane signalised junction will operate with DoS less than 90% on all approach lanes. This implies the junction has available capacity and the sensitivity of the junction is low.
8.9.26
When considering the inclusion of the development traffic on the traffic flows, the following is observed: During the AM peak, the White Woman Lane operates at DoS greater than 90%. The DoS on this arm will increase by 7% to 91.1%. The increase in queue length on this approach lane is less than 3 vehicles while the corresponding vehicle delay is less than 2 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue lengths is less than 5 vehicles and the vehicle delay is less than 3 seconds. The magnitude of the maximum impacts on this junction is negligible.
8.9.27
During the PM peak, the above junction operates at DoS less than 90%. Therefore any impacts on this junction are considered negligible.
8.9.28
The junction operates with an acceptable level of spare capacity when the 2032 development traffic is included. The Blue Boar Roundabout
8.9.29
When considering the 2032 baseline, the above roundabout will operate with a RFC less than 0.85 on all approach arms. This implies the junction has available capacity.
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8.9.30
When considering the inclusion of the development traffic on the traffic flows, the following is observed.
8.9.31
During the AM peak, the above junction operates at a RFC less than 0.85. Therefore the junction operates satisfactorily in the AM peak.
8.9.32
During the PM peak the Blue Boar approach arm operates at a RFC of 0.911, an increase of 0.07 above the forecasted RFC for 2032 future baseline. The increase in queue length on this approach lane is less than 5 vehicles while the corresponding vehicle delay is less than 13 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue lengths and the vehicle delay is negligible. The magnitude of the maximum impact on this junction is low during the PM peak.
8.9.33
Though the junction operates above the RFC threshold of 0.85, there is still space capacity in the junction. The impact on vehicles is low, and is considered acceptable. North Walsham Road/A1042
8.9.34
When considering the 2032 baseline in both the AM peak and the PM, all arms on the roundabout will operate at a RFC below 0.85. The construction of NNDR has diverted a significant amount of traffic away from the Outer Ring Road, and therefore there is available capacity.
8.9.35
When considering the inclusion of the development traffic on the traffic flows, the following is observed.
8.9.36
During the AM peak, only the A1042 eastern arm operates at an RFC in excess of 0.85. The forecasted RFC is 0.991, an increase of 0.15 from 0.845 in the 2032 base scenario. The increase in queue length is 67 vehicles, and the increase in vehicle delay is 154 seconds on the A1042 Eastern Arm. It should be noted that if you consider the operation of the junction as a whole, the average vehicle delay on all arms is less than 40 seconds. The magnitude of the traffic impact is high.
8.9.37
During the PM Peak, all arms will operate with an RFC below 0.85. The magnitude of the effect is negligible.
8.9.38
The impact of the development traffic on the AM peak is high. However there is further mitigation that can be considered to reduce the development impact at this junction in 2032. This will be considered in Chapter 9. Wroxham Road/A1042 Junction
8.9.39
When considering the 2032 future baseline, the above junction will be operating at RFC less than and equal to 0.85. This implies the junction is operating with available capacity and the sensitivity is low.
8.9.40
When considering the inclusion of the development traffic on the traffic flows, the following is observed.
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8.9.41
During the AM Peak, only the Wroxham Road approach operates in excess of a RFC equal to 0.85. The forecasted RFC when considering the application of the development traffic is 0.92, an increase of 0.15 over the 2032 base scenario. This generates an increase in queue length of approximately 6 vehicles and a corresponding increase in vehicle delay of less than 20 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue length is less than 3 vehicles and the increase in vehicle delay is less than 7 seconds. The magnitude of this impact is low.
8.9.42
During the PM Peak only the Sprowston Road arm operates with a RFC greater than 0.85. The forecasted RFC is 0.938, an increase of 0.09 on the 2032 base scenario. This generates an increase in queue length of approximately 6 vehicles and a corresponding increase in vehicle delay of less than 20 seconds. On all other arms, the increase in queue length is less than 2 vehicles and the increase in vehicle delay is less than 3 seconds. The magnitude of this impact is low.
8.9.43
The overall impact of the development traffic on this junction is low, and therefore acceptable. Summary of 2032 Traffic Assessment
8.9.44
To summarise, except for the A1042 / North Walsham Road Roundabout, there are no high traffic impacts when considering the traffic impacts of the complete development in 2032 when compared with the forecasted 2032 future baseline.
8.9.45
This assessment assumes that the NNDR will be constructed prior to the completion of the development and it is considered as embedded highway infrastructure improvement.
8.9.46
Similarly the assessment assumes the following embedded sustainable travel measures: •
Internalisation of trips within the development boundary due to the mix of land uses, and the extent of the development.
•
11% reduction in predicted trips due to PTP through the marketing of the development and induction process before completion of sale
•
9% reduction in predicted trips through the implementation of a travel plan from 2017
8.9.47
However the impact of the development traffic on A1042/North Walsham Road Roundabout is high and mitigation will be considered.
8.10
Assessment of Public Transport Provision
8.10.1
Beyond Green has held discussions with public transport operators, Norwich County Council, the Greater Norwich Development Partnership (GNDP), Norwich City Council and local Parish Councils to investigate the potential options to provide enhanced bus services to serve the extra demand created by the development site.
8.10.2
It is proposed that every point within the site will be within 400m walking distance of an accessible bus stop.
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8.10.3
The proposed public transport strategy as previously described in Chapter 6 will provide new and extended existing services to serve the development along the three principal bus corridors, namely Wroxham Road, North Walsham and Buxton/Spixworth Road.
8.10.4
On completion of the development, the Site will be served by 18 buses an hour in each direction, with two buses per hour along Buxton/Spixworth Road, six services along the North Walsham Road, and ten buses per hour an hour along Wroxham Road.
8.10.5
Considering that there are 9 existing bus services per hour each direction, the proposed strategy will provide an increase of 9 buses an hour in each direction. This will provide an additional capacity of 675 bus trips per hour.
8.10.6
This demonstrates that the proposed public transport strategy will generates more than sufficient capacity to accommodate the demand generated by the development, and the proposed development will have negligible impact on existing bus services.
8.10.7
The service enhancement will provide a beneficial impact for existing residents living within 400m North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road corridors in terms of improved frequency and additional capacity.
8.10.8
As previously stated, it is envisaged that the development would have a limited impact on Norwich rail service capacity due to the location of the nearest station (Norwich City Centre).
8.10.9
However, improved bus links between the Site and Norwich station will provide a beneficial impact in considering access to the rail station as a multi-modal interchange.
8.11
Development impacts on Pedestrian and Cycle Amenity
8.11.1
The proposed development will provide the necessary pedestrian and cycle infrastructure to accommodate the anticipated pedestrian and cycle trips within the development and provide the necessary infrastructure to provide safe and direct connections to the existing pedestrian and cycle amenities. By changing the nature and function of the existing radial routes towards the Norwich Centre, the development will provide both improved pedestrian and cycle experience in of safety and security, and physical infrastructure.
8.11.2
The increased use of the existing pedestrian and cycle routes will have a beneficial impact in terms of creating a more secure environment for both existing and future users. This will provide a beneficial impact for existing residents along these routes, and encourage a shift to more sustainable travel choices.
8.12
Parking Vehicle Parking
8.12.1
Over 4,000 on-street parking spaces could be accommodated by applying the parking principles set out in the Street Hierarchy. This relates to a total residential parking requirement of 5,238 spaces and a maximum visitor, commercial and retail parking requirement of 1,543 (including
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disabled provision). There is significant capacity within blocks to accommodate the remaining parking requirements. 8.12.2
Consequently there will be no adverse impacts on the existing parking facilities in adjacent residential communities. Cycle Parking
8.12.3
Cycle parking will also be provided within the development site and will be in accordance with the standards set out by BDC.
8.12.4
There are no adverse impacts on adjacent residential communities, and there are beneficial impacts for future residents.
8.13
Site Access
8.13.1
The development scheme will be accessed from the three radial routes running through or past the Site. These new accesses will be located off: Wroxham Road
8.13.2
A primary signal controlled access junction will be located off Wroxham Road opposite the current entrance to Sprowston Manor Golf Course and Hotel.
8.13.3
A secondary priority access junction will be located just 150m south of the junction above. This junction will provide for left turns only and no right turns will be permitted.
8.13.4
The proposed primary access junction has been modelled for the 2022 without NNDR and 2032 with NNDR proposed scenarios, as they represent the highest traffic flow groups.
8.13.5
The proposed Wroxham Road signalised junction shows a maximum DoS value of 81% on the Wroxham Road northern ahead & left approach. All other arms in both the 2022 and 2032 scenarios operate below 80% DoS.
8.13.6
This demonstrates that the proposed junction will operate with sufficient capacity through all phases of the development.
8.13.7
This demonstrates that for existing and future road users using the Wroxham Road to access Norwich town centre from both the proposed NNDR and the rural hinterland, there will be no adverse traffic impacts on the forecasted non-development traffic travelling along the existing radial routes. North Walsham Road
8.13.8
North Walsham Road will be realigned to run through the development’s main square in a northsouth alignment forming a signalised junction with the proposed new east-west “Main Street”.
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This newly aligned road will be a primary residential carriageway and will offer numerous access points with other residential streets which will distribute local traffic within the scheme. 8.13.9
All other junctions on the re-aligned North Walsham Road will be standard priority access junctions with no cross roads.
8.13.10 The proposed primary access junction has been modelled for the proposed 2022 without NNDR and the proposed 2032 with NNDR scenarios, as they represent the highest traffic flow groups. 8.13.11 The proposed North Walsham Road signalised junction shows maximum DoS values of 87.6% on the North Walsham Road northern ahead & left approach and 87.8% the Main Street east right turn in the AM PM 2032 scenario. All other arms in both the 2022 and 2032 scenarios operate below 80% DoS. 8.13.12 The proposed North Walsham Road priority junction south of the signalised junction described above operates with a maximum RFC of less than 0.5 across all modelled scenarios. 8.13.13 This demonstrates that the proposed junction will operate with sufficient capacity through all phases of the development. 8.13.14 This also demonstrates that for existing and future road users using the North Walsham Road to access Norwich town centre from both the proposed NNDR and the rural hinterland, there will be no adverse traffic impacts on the forecasted non-development traffic travelling along the existing radial routes. Buxton/Spixworth Road. 8.13.15 A primary access junction will be located off Buxton/Spixworth Road to the north of Lavare Park. It will take the form of a signalised crossroad and provide connections into the centre and east of the development. This road is expected to carry mainly local traffic and public transport. 8.13.16 All other junctions on Buxton/Spixworth Road will be standard priority access junctions to residential development. 8.13.17 Buxton/Spixworth Road will have a 20mph speed limit within the development boundaries. 8.13.18 The Spixworth Road signalised junction will only come into operation as part of the 2032 scenario with the NNDR scenario. The modelling shows the maximum DoS to be below 65% in both the AM and PM Peak Periods. 8.13.19 This demonstrates that the proposed junction will operate with sufficient capacity through all phases of the development. 8.13.20 This demonstrates that for existing and future road users using the Buxton/Spixworth Road to access Norwich town centre from the rural hinterland, there will be no adverse traffic impacts on the forecasted non-development traffic travelling along the existing radial routes
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8.14
St Faith’s Road
8.14.1
There will be no access to or from the development on/from St Faith’s Road. However it is proposed to allow access for emergency and refuse vehicles and buses in the later phase of the development if required.
8.14.2
This will be a priority access junction with mechanical barriers.
8.14.3
The impact of these proposed vehicular movements will be negligible on St Faiths Road. Considering that the sensitivity of St Faiths Road is high, the significance of the impact is low.
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9.
Mitigation
9.1
Introduction
9.1.1
The previous highway capacity assessment has shown that, except for the A1042 / North Walsham Road Roundabout, there are no high traffic impacts due to the NS&OC in the two principal assessment years, namely 2017 and 2032 and in the worst case scenario for construction.
9.1.2
However there are localised impacts at junctions that should be considered in the short term before the NNDR is constructed.
9.1.3
The magnitude of these impacts can be mitigated to reduce them to a moderate level of impact.
9.2
Construction
9.2.1
Though the previous assessment of construction impacts in 2012 has identified that the significance of the traffic impacts on the wider highway network is low while the impacts are moderate at the construction access onto the local highway network, a Construction Traffic Management Plan will be implemented as part of the overall Environmental Management Plan to mitigate against any temporary spikes in construction traffic. The Construction Traffic Management Plan is attached as Appendix G.1.
9.2.2
The CTMP will identify the schedule and phasing of construction, site access and route arrangements for construction materials and identifies further aspects that need to be provided by the contractor/contractors appointed to construct each phase of the development.
9.2.3
It is the responsibility of the main contractor of each phase to manage and monitor staff travel patterns, to ensure the traffic impact is minimised and no overspill car parking occurs. The target mode share is 30% of construction staff driving to the construction site.
9.2.4
The contractor will be required to prepare a staff travel plan to meet the following objectives: •
To prevent the possibility of overspill parking being generated on public roads;
•
To limit the traffic impact of the construction phases on the surrounding highway network;
•
To maximise usage of the available bus services; and
•
To provide sustainable travel information to all construction staff.
9.2.5
The CMTP has proposed to establish a main contractors’ compound (or “construction village”) on the site which can exist for the duration of the development without needing to be moved. This is anticipated to be located immediately north of the Sprowston Park & Ride site, adjacent to the proposed energy centre site where blocks WRS03 and WRS04 will ultimately be located, close to the A1151 Wroxham Road, from which all materials will enter the application site.
9.2.6
The only construction delivery vehicle access junction would be a permanent construction access onto Wroxham Road, just south of block WRS05. This will require temporary traffic
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controls to allow for right turns, but free flowing conditions for left in, and left out. Right turns would be restricted during the AM and PM peak traffic periods on Wroxham Road in order to limit the traffic impact of the construction delivery vehicle access. 9.2.7
The CMTP would also monitor and control the frequency and timing of HGV movements to and from the site to ensure that deliveries are spread out over the day, and avoid the highway network traffic peaks.
9.2.8
The implementation of the CMTP is embedded mitigation already considered within the assessment of the construction impacts, and the significance of the construction traffic impact on the local highway network remains as moderate.
9.3
Completion of Phase 1 in 2017
9.3.1
The assessment of operational impacts of the proposed development in 2017 has identified that the development has a high impact at the junction of the A1042 Outer Ring Road and North Walsham Road.
9.3.2
The 2017 assessment is based on the assumption that the first phase of development begins in two distinct locations that are not linked. However in the second phase, the internal link between North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road is complete, and the distribution of development traffic changes since residents living in proximity of North Walsham Road have the option to travel east via Wroxham Road.
9.3.3
When this revised distribution is applied to the 2017 development trips, there will be a significant shift in development traffic from North Walsham Road to Wroxham Road. The two junctions were modeled to investigate the change in the traffic impacts, and the results are tabulated in Appendix F.5, and assessed below. Wroxham Road/A1042 Junction
9.3.4
At the above junction in the AM Peak, all arms operate under a RFC of 1.00. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is approximately 7 vehicles on the Wroxham Road arm while the maximum increase in vehicle delay is just less than 18 seconds on the Wroxham Road. This is a low impact for road users.
9.3.5
In the PM Peak the maximum increase in RFC of 0.03 is on the Sprowston Road arm (0.99 to 1.02), with all other arms operating under 1.00 and with an increase of 0.02, or less. When considering the impacts on road users using this junction, the maximum increase in queue length is approximately 6 vehicles on the Sprowston Road arm while the corresponding maximum increase in vehicle delay is just less than 16 seconds. This is a low impact for road users.
9.3.6
Therefore when diverting more development traffic onto this junction to relieve the level of development traffic on the A1042/North Walsham Road junction, the level of traffic impacts is still low.
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North Walsham Road/A1042 9.3.7
During the AM peak, the impact of development traffic on queue lengths and vehicle delays on all arms is improved. The magnitude of the impact is reduced to low on all arms except the A1042 East which still remains high.
9.3.8
During the PM peak, all arms operate at a RFC less than 1.00. The magnitude of the impact is low for all arms except for A1042 West where the impact is moderate. This is due to an increase in queue length is less than 15 but an increase in vehicle delay less than 40 seconds. The vehicle delay average vehicle delay for all arms is less than 15 seconds.
9.3.9
Therefore the significance of the traffic impact is reduced to moderate in the PM, but remains at high in the AM peak. Though this is an improvement over and above the initial assessment, the residual impact is high in AM peak, and moderate in PM peak.
9.3.10
However it should be noted that North Walsham Road/A1042 junction in the 2012 baseline operates above capacity in AM peak, and approaching capacity in PM peak. This is due to the high level of traffic travelling east and west along the A1042.
9.3.11
When considering the 2017 future baseline, the traffic growth due to the anticipated delivery of approximately 1200 dwellings in the other development locations in North East Norwich makes the situation worse. The junction operates at a RFC greater than 1.00 on both A1042 arms in the AM peak and approaching 0.96 on A1042 West arm in the PM peak. The A1042 East has some capacity in the AM peak.
9.3.12
Furthermore, it should also be noted that the validity of traffic junction modelling results is considered less reliable when the RFC’s significantly exceed 1.00. Though the junction modelling undertaken is more accurate than a SATURN model, the trip distribution of traffic on the network prepared for this assessment is coarse.
9.3.13
When the proposed development traffic is included in the junction modelling assessment, the further increase in traffic compounds the situation. Though the development only is adding 179 trips onto the junction in comparison to 2930 trips already within the forecasted 2017 traffic flows, the increase in RFC’s are in the order of magnitude 0.01 to 0.08.
9.3.14
But the implementation of the NNDR would reverse this impact. The modelling of 2032 future baseline has demonstrated that this junction operates within the acceptable RFC of 0.85 on all arms in both peaks. Therefore the impact on this junction is temporary.
9.3.15
Though the introduction of the internal link road improves the situation, further additional mitigation should be considered to reduce the impacts of the development in 2017.
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9.3.16
The mitigation can either be in the form of permanent physical measures to improve capacity at the junction, or demand management such as sustainable travel measures to change travel behaviour and reduce the number of vehicle trips.
9.3.17
There is no scope for physical mitigation that extends beyond the current highway boundary due to the impacts on adjacent residential development.
9.3.18
The options for capacity improvements within the constraints imposed by the highway boundary are either the signalisation of the current roundabout or replacing the roundabout with a signalised junction.
9.3.19
However considering that the junction is elongated with a maximum diameter of 80m in one direction, and 50m in the other, it is considered that the length of circulatory carriageway is too short to benefit from signalisation. Initial indicative modelling of a proposed signalised roundabout at the junction of North Walsham Road and the A1042, based on the existing layout has been developed using the 2022 without NNDR scenario and the 2032 with NNDR scenarios. The results of the 2032 modelling shows the junction operates below 100% DoS. However, there are some internal queuing issues, which would potentially generate blocking back. In the 2022 scenario the junction operates with arms at approximately 110% in the AM and just over 100% in the PM, with increased queuing issues.
9.3.20
The option to replace the roundabout with a signalisation junction would have to be considered at a strategic level, since the medium term capacity shortfall is due to current traffic levels, and the long term capacity shortfall is addressed by the construction of the NNDR.
9.3.21
Alternatively, travel planning measures can be undertaken to reduce the number of development trips. A sustainable Framework Travel Plan (FTP) for the whole development site is integral to the delivery of the development and forms a key element of the Sustainable Transport Strategy. The FTP is attached in Appendix G.2.
9.3.22
The implementation of the travel plan is expected to deliver a 20% reduction in development trips within 5 years after the completion of Phase 1 in 2017.
9.3.23
However it should be noted that the following mitigation is embedded in the assessment, namely personalised travel planning (PTP). This reduces the level of development trips by 11% from occupation. This will be implemented through the marketing of the development to prospective residents, and through an induction process prior to completion of the sale.
9.3.24
Therefore the implementation of the FTP will deliver a further 9% reduction in development trips in the period 2017 to 2022. However the order of magnitude of this improvement (9% of 179 trips in 2017) will not deliver the full mitigation due to the high level of existing traffic (2930 trips).
9.3.25
The FTP has also demonstrated the Area Wide Travel Planning could reduce the level of local background trips by 11%. The DfT study on AWTP has identified that an 11% - 15% reduction in car driver trips is achievable by introducing PTP to local neighbourhoods.
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9.3.26
The scale of the AWP would have a significant impact on the level of trip reduction achieved. As a minimum the area bounded by the edge of town to the north and the Outer Ring Road to the south, and served by served the radial routes shared with the proposed development, namely St Faiths Road, Spixworth Road, North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road should be the target of an AWTP. There are approximately 6,600 dwellings within this area.
9.3.27
Considering the existing traffic flows within the area bounded by the Outer Ring Road, and the edge of town, the number of vehicles trips that originate and end within this area that utilise North Walsham Road in AM peak is approximately 180 trips. Consequently, a 10% reduction will result in reduction of 18 trips onto the North Walsham Road/A1042.
9.3.28
The AWP would also consider the implementation of work place travel planning in the Airport Industrial area off A140 Cromer Road and Fifer’s Lane. Norwich City Council has a successful record of implementing work place travel planning to large scale employers in Norwich, and a 20% reduction in travel to work car trips is achievable. Similarly it has been shown from 2001 Census Daytime Population Data that there are 8,900 people working in the Norwich 001A LSOA in the Airport Industrial area within the Catton Grove ward. Of this total, 63% drive to work. It is suggested that an appropriate AWTP is implemented to encourage employers in this neighbourhood to implement measures to reduce the number of car driver trips during peak hours.
9.3.29
The implementation of travel planning would be very beneficial to the level of traffic travelling east along A1042. Approximately 1,200 trips are distributed onto the A1042 from Fifer’s Lane, of which approximately 60% travel through the North Walsham/A1042 junction. If the entire area was targeted, a reduction of 144 trips travelling through the junction with an estimate split of 50% in each direction could be achieved. Indicative modelling has suggested that the junction will operate at lower RFC’s and reduce the traffic residual impact to moderate.
9.3.30
Therefore AWTP in the Airport Industrial Area could achieve the necessary mitigation to reduce the development impacts to an acceptable level.
9.3.31
Furthermore, the provision of the East-West link will reduce the level of traffic on Lodge Lane, White Woman Lane and Barker Lane. Based on the traffic adjustment factors for 2017 provided by NCC a conservative estimate shows that the traffic on these links will reduce by 30%.
9.3.32
A similar exercise was conducted for the AM peak in the 2032 assessment. The results for the A1042 / North Walsham Road roundabout are attached in Appendix F.5. The provision of AWTP, both for the PTP for existing residents and WTP for the airport industrial area could achieve the necessary mitigation to reduce the 2032 development impacts to an acceptable level.
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10.
Summary and Conclusions
10.1
Summary
10.1.1
NS & OC development is a sustainable urban extension based on the following overarching principles:
10.1.2
The transport strategy and street typologies should reflect a hierarchy of users that prioritises the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users over the needs of private motor cars; •
development should be structured around mixed use, walkable neighbourhoods to reduce the need to travel. Streets should be designed to create an attractive environment for pedestrians and that is accessible for all users;
•
pedestrian, cycle and vehicle movement should be seen as an opportunity to support a viable mix of uses, rather than a problem to be routed away from primary shopping and commercial areas;
•
streets are social places that encourage social and optional activities (strolling, sitting, playing, gossiping, etc) as well as facilitating necessary activities;
•
low carbon technologies have a role to play and their take up should be encouraged, but the majority of the negative impacts of car dependency are not caused by the internal combustion engine per se and cannot, therefore, be addressed by replacement engine technology;
•
the provision of more attractive alternatives to the private car, including establishing and promoting a car club, will enable a low parking ratio to be achieved and avoid the need for individual ownership of parking spaces; and
•
sophisticated transport and traffic modelling should be able to challenge assumptions on traffic growth and properly reflect the impact of good urbanism, sustainable movement strategies and travel plans on modal split.
10.1.3
These principles will be supported by a Framework Travel Plan and Construction Traffic Management Plan. The various travel plans will implement a range of sustainable travel measures from the inception of the development, during construction, through the marketing of the development, on the completion of each sale and during the life of the development.
10.1.4
Beyond Green will work with Broadland, Norfolk County Council and Norwich City Council to explore the implementation of Area Wide Travel Planning through either the GNDP Area Action Plan or the NATS to reduce the number of existing and future vehicle trips on the network.
10.1.5
The proposed development will provide the necessary infrastructure to encourage more sustainable travel modes, particularly pedestrian, cycle and public transport. The future residents of the development will benefit from the internal pedestrian and cycle network that will provide safe and direct connections to employment, retail, education, community, leisure and recreational uses within the development boundary.
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10.1.6
The development will provide improved cycle and pedestrian links to local retail, community and education facilities in the adjacent neighbourhoods, and in the longer term work with the local parishes and Norwich City Council to provide an improved cycle corridor along the North Walsham Road to Norwich Town Centre. This will improve the attractiveness of cycling to work for existing residents along these routes and the future residents of NS & OC.
10.1.7
The future demand for bus services for future residents will be accommodated by the proposed Public Transport Strategy without any adverse impact on existing services. The proposed bus strategy will deliver early access to public transport for new residents with the implementation of two principal services, one half hourly service along North Walsham Road, and the other half hourly service along Wroxham Road.
10.1.8
The frequency and penetration of these services will increase as the development is rolled out across all phases.
10.1.9
The proposed Public Transport Strategy will also deliver improved frequency and capacity for existing/future residents living alongside the two core bus route corridors identified in NATS, namely North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road.
10.1.10 The proposed new pedestrian, cycle and vehicular accesses onto the local transport routes can accommodate all trips in and out of the development without any significant adverse impacts on the forecasted traffic on the radial routes. 10.1.11 The development can be serviced by emergency, refuse and other service vehicles without any significant adverse impacts on the future residents and existing/future residents living alongside the routes utilized by the service vehicles to access the development. 10.1.12 The proposed street hierarchy and internal layout will provide safe and convenient routes within the development boundary. This will provide safe environment for all transport users within the development boundary. 10.1.13 The implementation of lower speed limits on the radial routes and a 20mph speed within the development will improve road safety for all transport users, particularly pedestrian and cyclists. 10.1.14 Though the construction impacts are not significant, a Construction Traffic Management Plan will be implemented to manage, reduce and monitor construction traffic during all phase of the development. 10.1.15 A construction camp and staff car park will be located in the south east corner of the development, just north of the existing Sprowston Park and Ride. All construction traffic will enter the site from a construction access on Wroxham Road. The access will be managed to reduce any impacts on peak traffic flows on the Wroxham Road. 10.1.16 This transport assessment has demonstrated that the completed development has no significant adverse impacts on the local highway network for all road users in 2017 before the NNDR is constructed, except for the North Walsham Road/A1042 junction.
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10.1.17 This is a temporary impact on the North Walsham Road/A1042 roundabout before the NNDR is constructed. 10.1.18 It is unlikely that physical mitigation to improve highway capacity is possible at this location. However the implementation of the Framework Travel Plan; including Area Wide Travel Planning for adjacent communities that share the same radial routes as the development; and Work Place Travel Planning for the Airport Industrial Area could provide the mitigation to reduce the residual traffic impacts at this location to an acceptable level. 10.1.19 The impact on the identified junctions could be mitigated with the following measures •
Open the internal east west between North Walsham Road and Wroxham Road before the end of Phase 1
•
Implement FTP within development
•
Implement AWTP in the Old Catton/Sprowston Wards
•
Implement Work Place Travel Planning in the Airport Industrial Area
10.1.20 Opening the internal road link distributes traffic more evenly onto the road network, and allows development trips originating in the North Walsham Road area of development to travel east within the development rather than using the North Walsham Road, White Woman Lane and Outer Ring Road 10.1.21 The magnitude of the residual impacts at both the North Walsham Road/A1042 and the Wroxham Road/A1042 junctions with the implementation of the mitigation identified above are moderate. 10.1.22 The combination of the FTP, AWTP and WTP could reduce the level of background trips broadly in line with the level of trips generated by the development. 10.1.23 There could be significant beneficial reduction in the vehicles using Barker’s Lane/Church Road when the internal link is open in 2017 since approximately 32% of the southbound traffic on North Walsham Road could divert east while 18% of the southbound traffic on Wroxham Road might divert west along the internal link. This could reduce two-way traffic on Barker’s Lane/Church Road by approximately 39% during the AM peak. Similarly there could be approximately a 29% reduction in the PM peak. Note that a 56% reduction in AADT on Barker’s Lane/Church Road is anticipated if the NNDR is constructed in 2017 (extracted from the Norwich SATURN Model). 10.1.24 The further extension of the main east west link to Spixworth/Buxton Road will provide a similar benefit for White Woman Lane. 10.1.25 Therefore the construction of the internal link will reduce the level of impacts identified at other junctions, particularly at the Wroxham Road/Church Road junction, the North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane junction and the North Walsham Road/Barkers Lane junction in 2017.
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10.1.26 Therefore the level of development in Phase 1 can be accommodated without the requirement to construct the NNDR with the mitigation identified above. 10.1.27 This transport assessment has demonstrated that the completed development has negligible impacts on the local highway network for all road users in 2032 on the assumption that the NNDR will be constructed after 2017, except for the following junctions; •
Salhouse Rd/Mousehold Lane/Heartsease Lane/Gurney Road;
•
North Walsham Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Spixworth Road/White Woman Lane;
•
Blue Boar Roundabout;
•
North Walsham Road/A1042 Roundabout;
•
Wroxham Road/A1042.
10.1.28 The level of impacts at these junctions, except for the A1042/North Walsham Road, are acceptable on the assumption that the NNDR is constructed. 10.1.29 The mitigation proposed in paragraph 10.1.19 would reduce the impacts of the completed development in 2032 to an acceptable level. 10.2
Conclusions
10.2.1
On the basis of the above and with targeted mitigation, it is considered that the transport impacts of the development can be accommodated on the surrounding highway and public transport networks.
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SKM Colin Buchanan is part of the Sinclair Knight Merz Group
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