Issue details

The Cabinet Member for Highways & Transport is asked to give approval to accept the capital grant from Ebbsfleet Development Company and to take the Bath Street scheme through the stages of development and delivery as indicated on the proposed decision sheet attached at Appendix A and specifically for:

i.          Approval for KCC to enter into a funding agreement with EDC subject to the approval of the Corporate Director of Finance, Corporate & Strategic Services

ii.         Approval to undertake the detailed design and surveys for the Bath Street Scheme.

iii.        Approval to progress all statutory approvals or consents required for the schemes, including any transfer of land and rights;

iv.        Approval to carry out any additional consultation required for the scheme;

v.         Approval to enter into construction contracts as necessary for the delivery and future maintenance of the scheme subject to a review of the procurement strategy by the Capital Officers Group;

vi.        Approval for any further decisions required to allow the scheme to proceed through to delivery to be taken by the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment & Transport under the Officer Scheme of Delegations following prior consultation with the Cabinet Member.

Background

This fully funded scheme proposes to implement a key Fastrack link between the Northfleet Embankment East development and Gravesham Town Centre in the form of a contraflow bus lane in Bath Street.

The scheme is part of the overall Fastrack programme, which comprises 28 individual projects across Dartford, Gravesham and Ebbsfleet. Fastrack operates via congestion-free routes across a 40km network extending from Dartford to Gravesham. It is a combination of dedicated Fastrack busways, bus priority lanes and on-street running with priority at all signalled junctions.

The purpose of the scheme is to improve journey times for Fastrack passengers and facilitate additional bus stops for existing residents and those from new developments such as Clifton Slipways, The Charter and Northfleet Embankment. 

Options

EDC and KCC have considered options for the scale of the Bath Street scheme within the business case for the project. The following options were considered:

·        No implementation of the Fastrack A Route extension

·        Extension of the Fastrack A Route with routing via Overcliffe

·        (Chosen option) Extension of Fastrack Route A, including the road improvement schemes and the routing of the network via West Street and Bath Street.

The chosen option will reduce journey times for passengers and provide a short walk to access the Fastrack service for occupants and workers at the Northfleet Embankment East, Clifton Slipways and The Charter developments.

In addition to the expected journey time benefits, the appraisal exercise identified other potential beneficial effects that the scheme may generate including:

·        Additional demand from new developments served by the new route.

·        Operating cost savings derived from the journey time savings

Strategic Fit

Implementation of the scheme will support the Council in meeting its Strategic outcome for “Kent Communities to feel the benefits of economic growth by being in work, healthy and enjoying a good quality of life”. This will be achieved through the projects supporting continued operation of key transport networks in Dartford and Gravesham, as well as helping support growth by enabling new residential and commercial development.

The key priorities set out in the County Council’s Integrated Transport Strategy ‘Delivering Growth without Gridlock’ in terms of providing additional highway capacity, improving accessibility and reducing congestion will also be supported through the delivery of the project. The scheme will set out to provide improved growth and economic prosperity through having an efficient highway and transport infrastructure.

The scheme also aligns with ‘Bus Back Better’ the Department for Transport’s National Bus Strategy which encourages ‘significant increases in bus priority’ through investment in bus lanes and traffic signal priority for buses (Chapter 3, Page 46).