Agenda item

Report by Countywide Improvements Major Projects Manager)

 

(1)            It was an appropriate time to update the Board on progress of the major transport and highway schemes following the last report in September 2008.  It was the intention to continue to provide reports half yearly and when there were important issues to bring to Members notice.

 

              (2)            The last six months continued to be dominated by the considerable efforts of the Team in progressing the growth area schemes in Kent Thameside and Ashford within the funding and time constraints; and progressing other schemes, mainly in East Kent.  There had been some considerable successes and substantive progress in this period against a backdrop of continuing change within KHS and E&R and new operating systems.

 

(3)            Eurokent Phases 4 & 5 was opened on time in November.  The scheme had been forward funded by the County Council to facilitate future mixed use development with pay-back from the raised land values.

 

(4)            Fort Hill De-dualling was completed on time in October.  A Stopping Up Order for the redundant highway was successfully achieved on 6 November.  Both of these aspects were crucial to allowing the Turner Contempoary construction contract to start on time.  The scheme included public realm improvements to The Parade, King Street and Duke Street on behalf of Margate Renewal Partnership and these were substantially completed in February.  Public Realm works to Harbour View at the entrance to Turner Contemporary and the Pier were about to start.

 

(5)            The Shared Space elements of Ashford Ring Road opened in November, consistent with its revised budget and programme, so that Ashford town centre was clear of traffic management in the critical pre-Christmas trading period.  The scheme had had mixed reviews but as an innovative scheme its operation and safety would be closely monitored.  Newtown Road Bridge was completed in December giving a less oppressive wider span and in particular increased headroom to accommodate future Smartlink buses.

 

(6)            The statutory orders for Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road were confirmed by the Secretary of State for Transport on 23 December 2008.  This followed the Public Inquiry in July and had endorsed, in particular, the proposal for a low level fixed link bridge crossing of Milton Creek.  All efforts were now being directed at the next stage of funding approval to enable a substantive start to be made before September 2009, within the validity period of the planning consent.

 

(7)            The statutory orders for East Kent Access Phase 2 were expected to be confirmed by the Secretary of State for Transport in March 2009.  This followed a frustrating period over nearly 2 years, since the Public Inquiry, to secure a piece of land by voluntary negotiation for a replacement EDF sub-station that in turn allowed the orders to be confirmed.  All efforts were now being directed at the next stage of funding approval to enable a substantive start to be made before September 2009, within the validity period of the planning consent.  Construction tenders were invited in anticipation of the Orders decision and these were to be returned in March.

 

             

              (8)            Rushenden Relief Road had made considerable progress.  SEEDA had secured replacement and compensatory ecological habitat which was a key planning condition.  SEEDA had also let a contract for enabling works for its own development that included advance works for the Relief Road.  The County Council had invited tenders for the Relief Road and these were returned in February and were currently being assessed.  Substantial progress now needed to be made on the funding and delivery agreement with SEEDA and it was hoped that this would be concluded soon so that the County Council was able to award the construction contract in late March/early April 2009.

 

(9)            The Board would recall the substantial claim by Union Railways/London & Continental Railways against the County Council in connection with the South Thameside Development Route Stage 4.  The County Council was given leave to appeal against the decision, in favour of the claimants, by the President of the Lands Tribunal into Preliminary Issues.  The appeal was to be heard in the Court of Appeal in the week beginning 23 March 2009.

 

(10)       Fastrack had received further awards as follows:- 

·        Highways Magazine Excellence Awards 2008- Shortlisted.

·        ITS UK Award for Excellence 2008 – for Fastrack’s “pioneering approach to local  urban regeneration using innovative technology to completely overturn passenger perception and experience of bus transport.

·        ACE Engineering Excellence Award 2008 – Transport Category.

·        PTRC Bus Priority conference - Outstanding success in bus priority.

 

(11)          On Eurokent, the agent for the contractor, Jackson Civil Engineering, won a Considerate Contractor award for ‘Performance beyond Compliance’.

 

(12)          The recent and rapid down turn in the economy had made it difficult to judge the effects on construction costs and construction inflation.  However, the analysis of the tenders for East Kent Access Phase 2 and Rushenden Relief Road would be of considerable assistance.  A robust understanding of costs and inflation was critical because DfT funding was on a cash basis and the County Council was obliged to make judgements about inflation over the development and construction period of the project.

 

(13)          A progress or status report on East Kent Access Phase 2, Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road, Rushenden Relief Road, A2 Slips, Canterbury, Borough Green & Platt Bypass, Operation Stack Lorry Park, other schemes and land matters was set out in the Appendix to the report.  For brevity, only some of the background provided in previous reports was provided with the focus given to activity in the last half year and in the coming months. 

 

(14)       During debate questions were asked by various Members relating to East Kent Access Phase 2; Ashford Ring Road; A2 Harbledown Slip Roads; and Maidstone Bridge Gyratory Scheme.  Officers undertook to provide answers to all Members after the meeting.  (A copy is appended to these Minutes).

 

(15)       The Board noted the report.

 

(16)        Several Members asked if it would be possible to visit a working site.  The Board agreed that a site visit to the Ashford Ring Road be arranged.         

 

(Note: The visit had been arranged to follow the next meeting of the Board on Tuesday, 5 May 2009)

 

 

 

            The Chairman agreed to take the following two additional items which were not published on the Agenda.

 

            11.       Environment and Regeneration Directorate

 

(1)       Mr R F Manning moved, Mrs P A V Stockell seconded the following motion:-

 

            “The Board records its concern that 5 months have elapsed without the re-appointment of a suitably qualified permanent Director and the effect that this could be having on staff moral and indeed the Interim Director herself.  Members request that, at the next Highways Advisory Board meeting, the Board is fully appraised of the current position and how and when a permanent appointment will be made.”

 

Carried 6 for, 5 against

 

            (2)       The Chairman assured the Board that the motion would be passed to the Cabinet Member.

 

 

12.       Future Meetings of the Board

 

It was agreed that future meetings of the Board would commence at 10.00am.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highways Advisory Board

3 March 2009

 

Responses to Questions to Major Schemes Update Report – Item 11

 

1. Why has East Kent Access Phase 2 (EKA2) increased in cost to £71m.

 

EKA2 was accepted for Programme Entry by the Department of Transport in 2006 following an earlier bid submission at an estimated cost of £64m.

 

The current estimated cost of £71m has been indicated in previous update reports to the Board.  Some of the increase is the result of detailed design but the bulk of the increased cost is the result of delay in the programme because the statutory Orders have not yet been confirmed and construction inflation which in recent years has significantly exceeded retail prices inflation.

 

2. Request for a closing out Report on Ashford Ring Road

 

A Report will be presented to the next meeting of the Board on 5 May 2009.

 

3. What is the status of A2 Harbledown Slip Roads.

 

The Department of Transport and Highways Agency are satisfied with the principle of slip roads on the A2 at Canterbury except at Harbledown.  This is because the junction spacing between the proposed slips at Wincheap and Harbledown is too short.  For now, the intention is to do further traffic modelling to test the assumptions and forecasts related to the overall concept of slip roads at Wincheap, Bridge & Harbledown.

 

4. What is the status of Maidstone Bridge Gyratory Scheme.

 

Feasibility investigation has shown that the scheme to widen the Fairmeadow arm to make it 2-way would cost about £3.5m - £4m.  This is mainly because of the need to rebuild the electricity sub-station as well as divert other utilities.

 

Achieving funding for such a scheme would be very difficult but as the gyratory is a key part of the Maidstone town centre road strategy it has been decided to do some further traffic modelling to fully understand the current situation and benefits that such an improvement might deliver before finally making a decision about the future of the scheme.

 

5. Request for a site visit to Ashford Ring Road for Board Members

 

The Committee Clerk has written to Board Members suggesting a visit on the afternoon of 5 May after the next Board meeting.