NetworkManagement& CongestionStrategy

ENVIRONMENT & REGENERATION

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Luton Borough Council

Department of Environment and Regeneration

Network Management and Congestion

Strategy for Luton

2008 to 2012

Mehmood Khan BSc. CEng. MICE. Traffic Manager

Town Hall Luton LU1 2BQ

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TABLE OF CONTENTS: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION 3 2.0 VISION 4 3.0 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES 5 4.0 KEY STRATEGY ELEMENTS 8

4.1 LAND USE PLANNING 9 4.2 INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT 10 4.3 PASSENGER TRANSPORT 11 4.4 PARKING MANAGEMENT 12 4.5 FREIGHT TRANSPORT 12 4.6 TRAFFIC CONTROL 13 4.7 STREETWORKS 15

5.0 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT 16 6.0 DELIVERY STRUCTURE 17 7.0 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY 21 8.0 INFLUENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS 23 9.0 RESOURCE AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT 23 10.0 ACTION PLAN 24 11.0 MONITORING AND REVIEW 24 12.0 RISK MANAGEMENT 25 Appendices: Appendix A Congestion Hotspot Analysis Appendix B Communications Plan Appendix C Traffic Control Centre System Functions Appendix D Action Plan

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The Network Management and Congestion Strategy is the basis for

operation and development of the highway network to comply with the Network Management Duty and to deliver the Local Transport Plan (LTP, the current version being LTP2)network management targets. The overall aim is to: • Achieve an easy to use, consistent and functional road network

which links well with its neighbours. • Facilitate the efficient and safe movement of people and goods to

enhance the economy and improve quality of life whilst protecting the environment.

2. This strategy identifies the measures for optimisation of the Highway

network and congestion relief in response to the Traffic Management Act 2004. It is a five year plan based on a ten year vision to keep traffic moving and secure public confidence in journey time reliability by the most appropriate and sustainable modes and along the best routes. This will ensure that traffic flows on the right roads to protect the over used elements of the network. It is a huge challenge so in certain situations the Council will be prepared to see a small increase in average journey times in order to achieve reliability.

3. The result will be an efficient transport system that improves the quality

of life, encourages employment, commercial success and enhances the shopping experience. All journeys regardless of travel mode will be easy to make and predictable so that people arrive on time. The priorities for traffic flow and mode of travel will be established for specific corridors. The provision of reliable travel will cover all modes including private vehicles, buses, taxis, walking and cycling with a focus on the interchange between modes as well as making each specific mode more attractive.

4. A survey of the local opinion and an assessment of the capacity of key

junctions are used to identify the current congestion hotspots. The Strategy identifies the congestion relief opportunities offered through: • Land Use Planning • Infrastructure Improvement • Passenger Transport • Parking Management • Freight Transport Management • Traffic Control • Streetworks Management

5. The performance indicators to achieve the journey time reliability

targets are explained together with the delivery structure, project and resource management and communication links. The key activities to deliver the desired outcomes are set out in an Action Plan.

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1.0. INTRODUCTION Luton is a unique urban area containing an international airport. It is immediately adjacent to the M1 motorway and has first class rail links both to the north/midlands and south to London. The motorway and railway line sever east/west routes with limited “bridging” points. It is anticipated that approximately 8000 new houses will be built in the Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis area by the end of 2011 and the number of people using the airport is set to increase by about 25% by 2011. Transport is the lifeblood for the local economy and successful network management is vital to prosperity. The M1 operates above its design capacity for much of the working day and at peak times is regularly heavily congested. Any incident on it or on the A5, in the vicinity, can create significant impacts on traffic movements as traffic diverts through Luton, particularly using the A505 or heading towards the A6. The construction of the Dunstable northern bypass and the widening of the M1 north of junction 10 will eventually add more resilience to the network. Congestion is exacerbated by the densely built-up nature of the area and currently has a significant impact in the peak periods on the reliability and journey times for bus services and other vehicular traffic. This strategy identifies the measures for optimisation of the Highway network and congestion relief in response to the Traffic Management Act 2004 and to achieve the Local Transport Plan objectives. It is a five year plan based on a ten year vision for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods to enhance the economy and improve quality of life whilst protecting the environment. The aim is to secure public confidence in journey time reliability by the most appropriate modes and along the best routes. This will ensure that traffic flows on the right roads to protect the over used elements of the network. This strategy needs to be read in conjunction with the suite of strategies that underpin the Engineering and Transportation Service.

Cycling Strategy Walking Strategy

Motorcycle Strategy

Local Transport Plan

Community Strategy / Local Strategic Partnership

Local Area Agreement

Road Safety Strategy

Network Management & Congestion Strategy

Corporate Plan

Airport Surface Access Strategy

Transportation Strategy

Traffic Control Strategy Parking Strategy

Speed Management Plan

Highway Maintenance and Asset Management Plan

Bus Strategy Freight Strategy

School Travel Plan

Communications Plan

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The plan covers the whole of Luton and recognises the need to provide traffic control that helps to minimises congestion in the surrounding areas. 2.0. VISION With neighbouring authorities we aspire to creating a conurbation that can embrace the challenges imposed by future growth by laying the transport foundations that will facilitate expansion without detriment to the local environment. Working in partnership, we will develop a transport system that will support the growth as an international gateway and ensure that transport plays its part in the continued prosperity of the town. We will create and preserve an attractive environment and pleasant living conditions and promote equal opportunities and access to services for all members of the community. We will give people the genuine opportunity to choose sustainable travel options, to have greater accessibility to the services and facilities they need and, as a result, enhance the quality of life of those who live and work in the area. Planning in Luton and South Bedfordshire has never been more important. In March 2005, the Government adopted the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy (MKSM SRS). This is focused on creating sustainable growth and development across Milton Keynes, Aylesbury Vale, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, and will also contribute to meeting growth in the wider South East of England. In our area, growth is proposed to be concentrated in the towns of Luton/Dunstable/Houghton Regis and Leighton-Linslade with up to 26,300 new homes proposed between 2001 and 2021 and a further 15,400 homes between 2021 and 2031. The remaining rural area of South Bedfordshire is also planned to accommodate an appropriate level of new housing. The Luton and South Bedfordshire Joint Committee has been set up to ensure a co-ordinated response to the planning proposals and the challenges that will be faced including the provision of adequate and reliable transport facilities and services which are being worked up in the emerging Core Strategy document. Despite the growth pressures we aim to limit the increase in peak hour traffic volume to just 7% between 2007 and 2011. Even so this equates to an additional 1,400 vehicles travelling in the peak hours. Managing congestion will be a tough challenge as this number of vehicles parked two abreast would stretch from the M1 to the airport! Even with the conurbation's compactness, the majority of journeys are still undertaken by car even though public transport, cycling and walking already offer viable alternatives for most journeys. The Council has set targets for an increase in the proportion of walking and cycling trips as part of Vision 2011. It is passionate about reducing congestion. There is a strong desire to eliminate gridlock. The aim will be to keep traffic moving in a way that significantly improves journey time reliability. In certain situations the Council will be prepared to see a small increase in average journey times in order to achieve repeatable travel times.

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The result will be an efficient transport system that improves the quality of life, encourages employment, commercial success and enhances the shopping experience. All journeys regardless of travel mode will be easy to make and predictable so that people arrive on time. The priorities for traffic flow and mode of travel will be established for specific corridors. The provision of reliable travel will cover all modes including private vehicles, buses, taxis, walking and cycling with a focus on the interchange between modes as well as making each specific mode more attractive. There is a strong desire to understand the needs of the local community. Extensive public participation and feedback on priorities will be encouraged. Performance targets and regular monitoring can be tied into the Local Area Agreement through the Luton Strategic Partnership and will be included in the LTP reporting procedures. Working with our neighbours and local stakeholders will be essential to deliver the wider benefits of network management and compliance with the Network Management Duty.

3.0. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES The Local Transport Plan 2 (LTP2) objectives provide clear direction for the 2006-2011 period. They are to:

• Improve the safety of the travelling public, especially children and those in vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

• Reduce dependency on the private car. • Increase the choice of transport available to all. • Make services (health, education, employment, leisure and shopping)

more accessible so that people have a real choice about when and how they reach them.

• Sustain a thriving local economy whilst minimising the impact of transport on the environment.

• Improve the efficiency of the transport network. • Manage congestion levels and accommodate future growth, through

the short term provision of effective alternatives to the private car and by the controlled management of demand in the longer term.

• Improve the use of the existing transport network through effective management and maintenance.

From consultation on the overall Local Transport Plan there is clearly concern about:

• Rat running and speeding in residential areas • Congestion that prevents easy access to work and shops

There is no magic cure to congestion. We want to manage it and enhance efficiency and reliability to stimulate growth in the economy and our town’s vitality.

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• Too much commuter and other parking and a lack of enforcement • General congestion on main roads

There are relatively few movements through Luton. The priority for traffic flow is for radial trips in to and out of the town and trips between areas within the urban area. The main causes of congestion in Luton are inadequate junction capacity for current levels of traffic flow, inconsiderate parking and incidents such as accidents or breakdowns on main road links. The most severe impact and cause of congestion in the town is disruption to traffic flow on the motorway. A further survey was undertaken in November/December 2007 to establish local views on the cause and location of traffic congestion and possible solutions to improve traffic flow. The majority of respondents felt that the volume of traffic (76.1%), school run (75.1%) and road junction/layout (60.9%) affects congestion a lot. People also felt that the lack of alternative routes and inconsiderate parking have an impact on congestion in Luton.

Factors which affect congestion

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

The school run

Road accidents

Road works

Flooded roads

Inconsiderate parking

Lack of alternative routes

Lack of alternative methods of travel

Road / junction layout

Faulty traffic lights

Don't knowNot at allA littleA lot

The areas where the respondents felt they experienced the worst congestion have been incorporated into the congestion hotspot analysis (Appendix A). Respondents felt that improving roads/junction layout (60%), better parking enforcement (40%) and the introduction of “Red Routes” (32%) would ease congestion in Luton a lot. Over 55% thought that; Park and Ride, Red Routes or car sharing would ease congestion a lot or a little. Sadly just under 40% of people felt that promoting cycling and walking would make no difference to easing congestion in Luton.

A little A lot No difference Don't know

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Better parking enforcement 156 32.4% 191 39.7% 90 18.7% 7 1.5% Improve road / junction

layout 125 26.0% 287 59.7% 24 5.0% 11 2.3%

Promoting cycling / walking 137 28.5% 90 18.7% 189 39.3% 11 2.3% Park & Ride (park and

continue journey into town by bus)

156 32.4% 118 24.5% 136 28.3% 20 4.2%

Red Routes (no stopping allowed at any time) 151 31.4% 152 31.6% 110 22.9% 23 4.8%

Car sharing 166 34.5% 102 21.2% 136 28.3% 25 5.2%

Access to the airport is regarded as one of the top priorities for reliable travel together with access to the town centre, employment, health services and the railway stations. Construction has already started on the East Luton Corridor road linking the airport and new development to the M1 motorway to improve transport services and journey time reliability. Further measures are planned to increase capacity at Junction 10A of the M1. The overall aim is to eliminate the potential for gridlock and to manage traffic flow to provide reliable journeys by all modes. This will be achieved through improvement and effective management of the network to:

• Establish reliable journey times on key route corridors. • Increase the use of public transport, walking and cycling. • Accommodate planned developments in a sustainable way. • Provide better information on transport options. • Implement major schemes to help manage congestion hot spots and

congestion generally. • Assist in fulfilling our duties under the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Within the Environment and Regeneration Directorate there is a strong focus on the requirements of the Traffic Management Act and the service implications. The aim is to ensure that this awareness spreads throughout the Council and its suppliers to develop a congestion busting culture. A Members congestion working Group has was established to assist the Council in identifying opportunities for relief and it’s final report was submitted to Environment and Non Executive Functions Scrutiny Committee on 1 May 2008. The Scrutiny Committee resolved; “To thank the Working Group and that the Working Group’s recommendations be combined into the Network Management and Congestion Strategy.”

We aim to provide the best infrastructure and systems to eliminate gridlock, minimise congestion and facilitate reliable journeys using the most appropriate modes of transport, in and through Luton.

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4.0. KEY STRATEGY ELEMENTS Our wider strategy for dealing with congestion will comprise a blend of tools in the following order of priority.

1. We will implement the committed major schemes (Luton - Dunstable Busway, East Luton Corridor, M1 junction 10A improvement and the Luton Town Centre Transport scheme) and support northern bypass schemes being developed by Bedfordshire County Council.

2. We will encourage viable alternatives to the car including public transport, Park and Ride, walking and cycling.

3. We will implement road space management and information using an integrated Urban Traffic Management and Control system.

4. We will make effective use of the land-use planning process to ensure the impacts of new developments are managed.

5. Towards the end of the LTP2 period, having established viable alternatives to travel by private car, we will carefully consider the appropriateness of gradual disincentives for using cars to access the town centres.

The key elements of our network management activity will be focused on planned initiatives to relieve and prevent further congestion and interactive control to minimise congestion in the face of events or incidents. In striving to protect the reliability of journeys we will fully recognise the impact of new development, regeneration and the general increasing demand to travel. We aim to support modal shift, particularly the desire to increase bus patronage, to reduce vehicular flow whilst accommodating a growing number of trips. The seven main elements that will contribute to success are:

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4.1 Land Use Planning Land use and transport need to be linked in order to facilitate sustainable transport. This is especially important in Luton due to the growth area implications. Part of the planning process and an intrinsic part of the LTP is to:

• Reduce the need to travel, particularly by private car • Increase accessibility by public transport, cycling and walking • Encourage more use of sustainable transport for people and goods

These objectives complement national, regional and local planning guidance and policies. The 2001 census showed 66% of journeys to work were within the conurbation but in recent years the trips associated with new residential development have generated an increase in commuting journeys to work in London. The aim is to accommodate these through the provision of high quality easy to use passenger transport services and by encouraging development in locations that enable walking or cycling to the station or town centre. The parkway station provides direct access to the airport and an alternative for commuters. As part of the Napier Park development it is hoped that a new station entrance on the north-east side of the railway will be built in the next five years. It is also noted that the platforms at the station are presently being extended as part of the Thameslink 2000 initiative. Initial design work is also being carried out for a new or refurbished station at Luton as part of the Luton Gateway Project. It is hope that work on the station will start in the next five years. The Thameslink 2000 platform extension at Luton are to to be carried out in 2010; this is due to be the last platform to be extended as part of Thameslink 2000 and will therefore allow longer trains to start using these stations and thus improve access to and from London. Access to both stations and the airport will be enhanced by the Luton - Dunstable Busway. The funding for highway improvements that are necessary as a result of development in Luton will change in April 2008 through a new Supplementary Planning Document. A new development tariff has been agreed based on a sum per predicted generated trip. This will overcome some past problems of insufficient contributions from developers to protect traffic flow and support the protection of reliable travel. As part of the Transportation Strategy the Luton traffic model will be regularly updated to take account of traffic growth and utilised to assess the effect of new development and proposed initiatives to improve and manage the network. There is a need to strike the right balance in the number of parking places provided with housing development. Parking provision can be a means of encouraging reduced car ownership and more sustainable travel. However where there are too few off-street spaces residents cars parked on main traffic

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routes cause congestion. The Parking Strategy will be reviewed in conjunction with the preparation of a new design guide for development. 4.2 Infrastructure Improvement There are four Major Schemes plus other large projects that are scheduled to be introduced during this LTP period, all of which will help in managing congestion.

• Luton - Dunstable Busway will provide a fast reliable route for buses between Dunstable and Luton and on towards London Luton Airport. This scheme should result in a significant increase in bus patronage and a corresponding reduction in congestion on the road network. This should help tackle several of the identified congestion 'hotspots'. The Luton Dunstable Busway is due to open in December 2011.

• We also plan to investigate extensions to the Luton - Dunstable Busway, though implementation of any extension will be after this LTP2 period. Further congestion 'hotspots' would be addressed by these potential extensions.

• The East Luton Corridor (ELC) scheme will provide much improved access to London Luton Airport from the M1 motorway. Improved access for cyclists is also being provided. The ELC scheme will again deal with several of the identified congestion 'hotspots'. The ELC scheme is due to be completed late 2008

• The Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme. will complete the inner ring road together with the provision of new integrated bus facilities and improved pedestrian links between the town centre and railway station within a much improved public realm. The Luton Town Centre Scheme is due to be completed in Spring 2011

• The Bus Station and Bute Street Car Park have now been closed and demolition has commenced. A new multi-storey car park is being built off Midland Road and this should be completed in Summer 2009. This work will accommodate the route of the Luton Dunstable Busway and allow completion of the Inner Ring Road together with development opportunities that will fund the refurbishment of Luton rail station.

As the road network in Luton is constrained by frontage development there is minimal scope for further significant road widening within the highway boundary. However, the main road corridors have been assessed for locations of excessive delays. The results from previous congestion studies, local knowledge and public consultation have been used to prepare a prioritised list of congestion hot spots. The highest priority is to increase capacity at the Chaul End / Dunstable Road roundabout. A summary of all the locations is contained in Appendix A. One of the problems with congestion is that it can lead to rat-running traffic in residential areas, causing actual and perceived problems for residents. Part of our strategy is to civilize the traffic in residential areas using traffic calming techniques rather than displace it, although some of the measures should

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induce a proportion of the rat running traffic to revert back to using the main road network. 4.3 Passenger Transport Public transport has been afforded the top priority in the hierarchy of travel modes in the LTP2. The potential for mode shift through bus priority will be the first consideration in addressing the congestion hot spots. The dense urban area and the local demography offer real potential for maximising bus use and a shift of travel mode from the private car could result in significant reductions in congestion. A programme of work to improve bus stops has been prepared, to complement bus priority and improved reliability, along specific bus corridors. This includes measure such as; real time passenger information (RTPI – Luton now shares the ACIS system with Bedfordshire, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire) better road marking, signing, timetables, shelters, seats, litter bins, accessibility etc. Every effort will be made to make bus services more attractive. Traffic management improvements and targeted enforcement of parked vehicles blocking key bus routes will be a high priority at locations such as Bury Park. The most important links for bus services will be selected for improvement. These will be constantly monitored using tracking technology incorporated in the RTPI system to report performance. Traffic control and enforcement will support each Punctuality Improvement Partnership between the Council and the local bus operators to achieve the targets for bus service reliability. Where possible late running buses will be afforded priority at traffic signals through the RTPI system. This will enable the seamless supply of information across authority boundaries. Real time information about departures will be provided at key bus stops in order to increase confidence and boost passenger numbers. The business case for the use of smart cards for purchase of bus tickets and other Council services will be investigated. Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles play an important role both in terms of accessibility and, with good integration with other modes of transport, in tackling congestion. The Council’s Bus Strategy includes policies on the provision of taxi ranks at key public transport interchanges and in the town centre. Park and Ride can have significant benefits and could play an important role in managing congestion. The Council will be carefully examining opportunities for potential sites. In particular, it is felt that sites around M1 junction 10A and to the northern edge of the conurbation could provide viable Park and Ride locations in the medium to longer term. Good bus priority measures on routes into the town centre will be essential for these sites to be viable, and the Luton - Dunstable Busway and East Luton Corridor will help to provide the required fast routes into Luton town centre. It is likely that such sites will be developed with partners such as London Luton Airport. We have also already taken positive action in terms of park and ride by planning the construction of a 900

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space park and ride facility at the Butterfield Park site on the A505 Hitchin Road at the Luton/Hertfordshire boundary. 4.4 Parking management Parking management is a potentially powerful tool in reducing congestion both in terms of freeing up road-space and reducing traffic flow. Parking Regulations will be regularly reviewed and introduced to strike the most appropriate balance between traffic flow, road safety and local access for residents and visitors. The Traffic Management Act 2004 reinforces the principle that parking enforcement is about keeping traffic moving rather than raising revenue. Luton has adopted this principle in a consistent way across the Borough, so that all areas receive a fair level of enforcement. All surplus income from on street parking management and enforcement is reinvested in transport improvements. The Council is fully compliant with the new parking Regulations that introduce Civil Parking Enforcement, which came into effect from April 2008. However there is an increasing need to target parking enforcement at specific areas where illegal parking gives rise to disruptions to traffic flow. This may need to be at the expense of enforcement in other areas such as off street car parks. The resource implications and business case for a new parking enforcement strategy will be considered in conjunction with the review of the Parking Strategy and the potential use of new powers that came into effect on 31st March 2008. 4.5 Freight transport The volume of heavy goods traffic is considered to be a key local issue. There is a need to minimise the impact of road freight, while ensuring the needs of local businesses are met. Heavy goods vehicles will be encouraged to use the most appropriate access route to reach their destination. Such routes will be adequately signed and maintained, consequently reducing congestion and maintenance costs, improving air quality, accessibility and safety. A Freight Strategy for Luton is presently being prepared and has been considered by the Council’s Environment and Non Executive Functions Scrutiny Committee. It is anticipated that the Strategy will be formally adopted by Executive in Summer 2008. To assist the movement of freight through and within Luton, to reduce the impact of freight activities on the community, and to protect the environment

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the Council will work with stakeholders to form a Freight Quality Partnership. It will establish Strategic Lorry Routes and ensure that local destinations such as key employment sites and shops are adequately signed. 4.6 Traffic Control Traffic control is focussed on how the movement of people and goods is managed on the highway network and not necessarily about how to improve the road layout. It does however cover the operation and improvement of systems to reduce traffic congestion. While road users have a right to pass and re-pass any public highway there is a need to differentiate between those roads that are primarily for traffic flow and of a regional significance and those that are for local access. Traffic control will be aimed at all A roads and selected B roads that form the priority traffic flow routes. Particular attention will be given to manage congestion at locations where priority routes for different modes of travel conflict and during the construction of major highway improvements and utility schemes.

The potential for diversions will be carefully assessed for particular links taking into account the suitability of the routes, other events and the likely journey time compared to the delay. Where they are necessary they will generally be on same category road or one level lower in exceptional circumstances. While the use of many lower class roads must be protected from inappropriate use, procedures will be adopted to assess the resilience of the whole network in the event of disruption.

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Traffic control covers the identification of congestion catalysts, intervention strategies and implementation actions to minimise delays. It utilises protocols, detection systems and urban traffic control techniques to improve traffic flow and provide road users with information and advice. It also facilitates performance monitoring and reporting. Regular reviews will be undertaken to ensure efficiency. The need for traffic signal control either on a permanent or part time basis will be considered together with the need for specific facilities such as pedestrian crossings. Traffic signal timings will be adjusted to deliver the appropriate priority. Where congestion remains evident through insufficient road space the opportunity will be taken to consider minor improvements or changed travel behaviour to reduce vehicular flow such as increased use of passenger transport services.

Traffic control is not just about minimising the delays caused by events and incidents. It also plays an important part in reassuring the public about free flowing conditions and provides an opportunity to promote the authority’s services. We aim to implement and fully utilise Intelligent Transport Systems that enable us to manage the network. We aim to detect problems using data from traffic signal control systems such as “SCOOT” and journey time information from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems and traffic information providers such as Traffic-master and “ITIS”. We will intervene when necessary, provide travel advice and report on performance. Ultimately the services offered by a new Traffic Control Centre, in keeping with the size of the town, traffic flow and complexity of the network, will not merely inform

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road users about congestion problems. It will provide advice about how they can be avoided through alternative route choice or mode of travel. The intention is to integrate as many of the systems as possible into a common database based on current Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) standards. Joint operation of the centre with neighbouring authorities, Highways Agency (HA) and emergency services will be explored to maximise efficiency. Luton has entered a Partnership Working arrangement with the HA and has installed internet software to access information from the HA’s National Traffic Control Centre. The opportunity to control traffic flow through improved direction signing and more effective enforcement of moving traffic offences, such as banned turns, will be explored together with measures to reduce the amount of unnecessary through traffic in locations where shared priorities and overall capacity are at a premium, such as Bury Park. The Council will also consider a rapid response capability to immediately remove broken down vehicles from critical main roads at no cost to the driver. In order to manage the network the high level traffic routes will be divided up into links between key junctions. A control strategy will be developed for each link to facilitate effective interventions to maintain traffic flow. These will include the conditions that trigger a combination of actions, such as warnings, advisory routes, changes to traffic signal timings and emergency response. 4.7 Streetworks Luton has developed a good relationship with utility companies. The Council has a system for electronic transfer of streetworks notices from utility companies and works orders. There is a streetworks coordinator supported by one assistant who make coordination decisions with supporting input from various colleagues. They also undertake all New Roads and Streetworks Act (NRSWA) inspections. The location of all road works is published on the internet using the “ELGIN” system in common with other Highway Authorities in the Eastern Region. From April 2008 this co-ordination has been extended to cover the authority’s own work. A particular objective is to improve the internal communication and information flow to ensure that all works are scrutinised and co-ordinated to a consistent standard. A permit scheme could offer significant benefits for Luton. The Traffic Manager and Head of Street Services will evaluate the business case for

Control and Intervention Strategies

Systems Procedures

Services

Performance Reporting Targets

Problems

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Luton and whether the Council should adopt the regional framework scheme. Increased income from the scheme would allow more frequent and effective inspections. Greater control of operations and increased penalties will result in improved traffic flow. The Council will ensure sufficient separation between those operating the permit scheme and co-ordinating works and those responsible for highway activities so that parity of treatment is evident. This may require some re-organisation of the Engineering and Transportation and Street Services divisions. All information about streetworks, including the Council’s work, will be collected, stored and analysed in the existing Streetworks Register so that it can be incorporated into the assessment of the Council’s performance in relation to its Network Management Duty. 5.0 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT Relevant performance indicators will be determined based on easy to collect data. Challenging but realistic targets will be set to represent the desired outcomes. These will be publicised internally and externally to seek wider ownership of the problems and solutions. To comply with the Network Management Duty and avoid Government intervention the Council, as the Traffic Authority, has a duty to:

• identify congestion and disruption to traffic flow; • monitor the effectiveness of actions; and, • assess their performance in managing the network.

Congestion targets have been previously set for Luton in the LTP2. These are to limit traffic growth to 19% by 2011 at the outer and shadow cordon and to 11% at the inner cordon compared to 2000 levels. These targets are consistent with those in the Council’s Road Traffic Reduction Plan, which was prepared in response to the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997. They are extremely challenging targets given the growth that is expected within and around the conurbation over the next five years and beyond. Luton Strategic Partnership will consider the need to adopt the new National Indicator NI 167 “Congestion – average journey time per mile during the morning peak” as one of the Local Area Agreement indicators. However on its own NI 167 may not be sophisticated enough to give a complete picture of network performance. Passenger transport reliability is currently based on the departure time tolerance at key stops. This is set to continue with NI 178 Bus services running on time which measures bus departures within a one minute early - 5 minutes late envelope.

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Journey time (Minutes)

Number of trips(People)

Do nothing distribution

Target distribution

Existing distribution

Target journey timeAverage journey

time

Existing reliable

journeys

Journey Time Distribution Diagram.Journey time (Minutes)

Number of trips(People)

Do nothing distribution

Target distribution

Existing distribution

Target journey timeAverage journey

time

Existing reliable

journeys

Journey Time Distribution Diagram. Simply driving down average journey times for all traffic flow is likely to be detrimental to sustainability as single occupancy private car use could increase. Therefore journey time reliability will be the principal indicator to demonstrate excellent performance. To recognise the increasing demand for travel the number of trips will be based on the total number of people travelling along the link and not just the number of vehicles. To give a strong positive message the target will be to achieve 95% of all trips within the target time with, if possible, a small reduction in the average journey time. Ultimately the aim is to monitor reliability per person seamlessly across all modes. Surveys were undertaken in 2007 to record the time taken between specific points on the Principal Road network in Luton. This baseline data will be used to set targets for journey times between the selected points. This will be supplemented with vehicle occupancy data that will be collected through manual observations in 2008. Annual surveys are very susceptible to random fluctuations in network performance. A more regular and robust supply of data will be required to provide an accurate assessment of performance particularly given the need to satisfy the reporting requirements of the Network Management Duty. The Traffic Control Centre will be designed to facilitate the integration of floating vehicle data or roadside number plate matching detectors to measure journey times more accurately. 6.0 DELIVERY STRUCTURE The Traffic Manager sits at the heart of the service with a clearly defined reporting responsibilities and operational support. A Core Team consisting of representatives from relevant internal services will develop and deliver the desired outcomes to ensure compliance with the Network Management Duty.

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In broad terms the priority for action will be as follows:

1. Route guidance – Clear signs, directions and advice 2. Traffic Control – Systems to prioritise traffic flow 3. Traffic Regulation – Road traffic law to improve flow 4. Enforcement – Penalties to ensure compliance 5. Modal shift – Reduce vehicular flow 6. Infrastructure improvement – Create more capacity

Portfolio Holder

Members of Joint Committee

Scrutiny Committee

Director for Environment & Regeneration

Corporate Management Team Corporate Management Team

Executive Executive

Head of Engineeringand Transportation

Directorate Management Team Directorate Management Team

Head of Planning

Traffic Manager

Policy and Performance: • Road space management • Road safety • Freight movements • Travel modes • Parking • Public Transport • Land use planning • Accessibility • Asset management • Local Area Agreement • Community Strategy • Local Transport Plan • Journey time reliability

Delivery: • Traffic Control • Infrastructure

improvement • Works coordination • Car park guidance • Bus priority • Travel information and

advice • Enforcement • Traffic Regulations • Park and Ride

Influence and Communication: • Strategic Partnership • Corporate Management • Neighbouring authorities • Highways Agency • Emergency Services • Government • Public • Airport • Major employers • Transport action groups • Passenger transport

operators • Contractors / suppliers

Head of Street Services

• Network Management Duty • Congestion Relief Strategy • Performance management

Traffic Managers Core Team

Network Management Delivery Structure

Traffic Managers Core Team

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The actions to improve reliability and reduce average journey times will be multi-modal and each mode will not simply be treated in isolation. Attention will also be paid to the connections between modes to minimise the lost time on any journey. Procedures will be put in place to ensure the complete and timely awareness of all events and incidents that will significantly disrupt traffic flow. Protocols for internal and external relationships will be determined and published to provide a clear and shared understanding of the role each provider plays in traffic control.

Utility works

Developer

NeighbourAuthority

HighwaysAgency

Works / License

Request for service

NRSWANotices

Capacity Check

Travel info and advice•Message signs•Radio

Intervention plans

Monitoring•Speed/flow•Journey times

EmergencyServices

Road-spaceCoordinator

EventsRegister

Traffic Control Centre

Works inspection

Road users

Internet

Congestion Database

Engineering Design

CCTV

Local Transport

PlanCapacity Control Procedure

Traffic Manager

Legal

Utility works

Developer

NeighbourAuthority

HighwaysAgency

Works / License

Request for service

NRSWANotices

Capacity Check

Travel info and advice•Message signs•Radio

Intervention plans

Monitoring•Speed/flow•Journey times

EmergencyServices

Road-spaceCoordinator

EventsRegister

Traffic Control Centre

Works inspection

Road users

Internet

Congestion Database

Engineering Design

CCTV

Local Transport

PlanCapacity Control Procedure

Traffic Manager

Legal

The traffic control perspective will be integrated into the procedures for preparing recommendations on the highway aspects of planning applications. All works on the highway including the Council’s own activity will be considered in accordance with an agreed procedure to assess and control the capacity implications. Each event will be logged and the information will be made widely available to ensure complete and effective co-ordination. The issue of licenses for equipment in the highway such as skips or scaffolding will be integrated into the same overall procedure. The Council’s suppliers and in house services will be expected to consider their working practices and new performance incentives will be investigated to encourage methods that minimise disruption, particularly at peak times. Detection systems will be used to identify problems on the key links. A rapid awareness of a problem and the ability to validate the conditions are essential. Priority will be afforded to the links, actions and time of day that will secure the

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greatest improvement in performance. Intervention strategies will be developed for each main traffic link. These will consist of the trigger criteria, emergency response actions, traffic signal priorities and travel information/advice provided by the media or variable message signs. A protocol will be developed with the Highways Agency (HA) and emergency services for the control of incidents on the Motorway and feeder roads and the use of shared data systems for performance monitoring and reporting. The shared use of HA Traffic Officers to support the rapid response to and management of incidents on local roads will be investigated. Parking management and enforcement will be prioritised to reflect the route status. The Orders will be reviewed for accuracy and published on the Council’s web site to ensure transparency and to minimise the number of written requests for information. Enforcement will be strengthened to improve traffic flow for planned events and the response to significant long duration incidents. The use of cameras to support parking enforcement will be investigated. Road and traffic signal maintenance will be biased towards the key traffic routes that have the most beneficial effect on traffic management performance. The Asset Management Plan will reflect the reliability life cycle of the infrastructure and equipment and a planned replacement programme has already commenced to avoid disruptive failure. Response time for repairs and incident support will reflect the routes importance particularly where alternative route choice is limited. Promotional material and contact details will be published to explain the operation of the traffic control centre and to encourage congestion reporting. The centre will endeavour to builds strong links with local businesses to help them with their transport requirements and to gather more information about future events likely to cause congestion such as major deliveries. Refuse collection and street cleansing services will supply regular information and be encouraged to review operations to minimise disruption to traffic flow. The main systems that minimise congestion will be brought together in a new Traffic Control Centre. Outside of normal hours a roving terminal will be available to access the essential systems in the event of a significant incident or system failure. The need for extended hours will be regularly assessed. A de-briefing session will be held after each significant incident to review the ease of use and outcome performance of the strategy utilised. The function of each of the potential components of the Traffic Control Centre is outlined in Appendix C:

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7.0 EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND COHESION The Council is committed to working towards making Luton a more socially inclusive town in which everyone has dignity, equality of opportunity, and access to the resources they need to enjoy a quality of life considered reasonable by our society. Maintaining a cohesive, equal and inclusive community is listed amongst the 2007-08 priorities along with a key value “embrace equality and diversity”. Equality, inclusion and cohesion are key priorities for the council both as a major employer and provider of services and as a key partner in the local strategic partnership. The Council has assessed the need for an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) on its Network Management and Congestion Strategy with reference to legislation and Corporate Policy and concluded that an EIA was not required for the strategy itself, but EIAs may be required arising from the actions identified in Appendix D. Comments on the overall objectives of the strategy are summarised below:

7.1 Establish reliable journey times on key route corridors.

Reduced congestion benefits all groups regardless of the mode of transport they use through improved journey times and reduced pollution. Improved management of streetworks will particularly benefit some more vulnerable road user groups, and benefits may also accrue to those suffering the adverse health effects of pollution.

7.2 Increase the use of public transport, walking and cycling.

7.2.1 Public transport Public transport has been afforded the top priority in the hierarchy of travel modes in the LTP2. The dense urban area and the local demography offer real potential for maximising bus use for all groups in the community. A shift of travel mode from the private car could result in significant reductions in congestion. A programme of work to enhance service punctuality and improve bus stops including measures such as; real time passenger information, timetables, shelters, seats, litter bins, accessibility etc. will have a positive impact on all groups of the community particularly the children, lone women, older and disabled people and any groups of the community with a poor awareness of services. 7.2.2 Encourage walking

Walking and the use of mobility aids such as scooters and wheelchairs is part of virtually every journey so measures so improved facilities will provide benefits to most groups. Measures to improve the footway and crossing facilities have a positive impact on the elderly and disabled through reducing trip hazards and improving level access for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and

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prams. There are potential negative impacts to older people and disabled people from the schemes that involve introduction of new street trees or other obstacles within the highway. These problems can be avoided by careful attention to detail in the scheme design process. 7.2.3 Encourage cycling

This is generally positive for all, however there could be an adverse impact on disabled people and vulnerable pedestrians if cycling is increased on routes shared with pedestrians. However segregated facilities have a positive impact by reducing the conflict. In order to mitigate this impact, consultation on any proposal that will involve shared pedestrian and cycle facilities needs to take place with representatives of disabled people (with particular focus on blind and partially sighted people) and representatives of older people, in order that the impact can be understood and considered in the local context. 7.3 Accommodate planned developments in a sustainable way.

There is an emphasis on accessibility by sustainable modes. This will benefit all groups and particularly low income families who may not have access to personal transport. Better connections to the main destinations in the town such as; the Arndale Centre, Airport, Railway station, healthcare facilities and schools will benefit all and encourage reduced car ownership and usage. New infrastructure benefits all road users, whatever mode of transport they use. There are particular benefits to older people and disabled people through footway improvements. 7.4 Provide better information on transport options. This will benefit all groups of the community but particularly those who have the least awareness of travel opportunities. Particular attention will be paid to providing information to minority ethnic people and those who need special access facilities. This element of the strategy provides the greatest opportunity to enhance equality. 7.5 Implement major schemes to help manage congestion hot spots and congestion generally. New infrastructure benefits all road users, whatever mode of transport they use. Priority routes for specific modes of transport will be identified with particular attention paid to managing the conflict points. There are particular benefits for vulnerable road users through safer more controlled junctions. Route continuity will improve local community connections and social inclusion by reducing the barriers created by main roads carrying high traffic flow. 7.6 Assist in fulfilling our duties under the Traffic Management Act 2004. Better traffic management, increased journey time reliability and improved connections between modes of transport, weighted in favour of public

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transport, pedestrians and cyclists, will have a beneficial affect on all road and transport users in Luton. It will enhance the quality of people’s lives, assist in economic growth, promote healthier lifestyles and enhance equality and diversity. It will have a positive effect on Social Inclusion (easier access to more reliable public transport linked to concessionary fares) and a slight but positive effect on Community Cohesion (different backgrounds having similar life opportunities and stronger relationships). Improving parking management and civil enforcement will improve traffic flow although there may be a slight adverse affect on accessibility in areas where there is inadequate off street parking. This is unlikely to have a particular differential impact on any group but specific decisions made at a local level will have to weigh competing demands to support improving community and social inclusion. 8.0 INFLUENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS Effective management of congestion requires more than simply delivering a range of improvement measures. The whole authority and local key stakeholders need to take ownership of the objectives and integrate them into a new culture aimed at changing travel behaviour. Internal communications will be reviewed and improved to ensure that the correct procedures and protocols exist for efficient service delivery. A programme will be implemented to publicise and promote the requirements of the Traffic Management Act 2004, the local performance indicators and the measures aimed at compliance with the Network Management Duty.

Strong communication links with local stakeholders have been developed and these will be continuously reviewed to ensure active participation and appropriate awareness, particularly with local retailers and other businesses. The Communications Plan which sets out the relationships and frequency of contact is outlined in Appendix B. 9.0 RESOURCE AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT The Traffic Manager will review resource requirements and where necessary facilitate change in order to deliver the objectives and targets in the most efficient and effective way. Some initial resource priorities are:

Effective communications will be vital to success in terms of:

• Effective management of the service • A coordinated approach with neighbours and external stakeholders • The provision of timely and accurate travel advice • Securing public confidence through a strong image of the service.

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• To ensure sufficient trained resources are available to operate the network and design and deliver the programme to the desired quality and timescale

• To develop a strong performance driven delivery team which utilises individual strengths and innovation to secure funding and achieve objectives

• To develop proposals for more efficient use of energy and reduced communication costs minimise revenue commitments and offset an increase in the size of the traffic control system asset and maintenance costs.

• To undertake a review of the current need for existing systems and create a database of geographically referenced asset data together with an assessment of residual life for inclusion in the Transport Asset Management Plan.

• To deliver a service that strives to meet customer expectation and undertake regular monitoring of customer satisfaction

• Creation of a continuous improvement culture with a focus on delivering more for less

• Review the contract performance incentives with a view towards a increased efficiency and a focus on network management outcomes such as journey time reliability

Project management techniques will be utilised to ensure compliance with programme and delivery of the desired benefits. The whole life costs of initiatives and the specific benefits will be identified and tracked over time. Stakeholder mapping will be used to prioritise who can influence performance and manage active participation and awareness. Good records will be kept to provide reassurance and confidence in the Traffic Managers actions. 10.0 ACTION PLAN The Action Plan which identifies the significant activities over the five year period of this Strategy is contained in Appendix D. 11.0 MONITORING AND REVIEW The Action Plan will be subject to quarterly updates which will be prepared by the Traffic Managers Core Team and presented to the Directorate Management Team and Portfolio Holder. A progress report on the delivery of the plan will be produced each year and used as a contribution to the Council’s existing Annual Progress Report for the Local Transport Plan 2. In addition, the Network Management Plan will be subjected to a full three year review to allow for refocusing on any new service priorities, emerging best practice, innovation and market demands.

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12.0 RISK MANAGEMENT The overall risk is that there is currently limited knowledge of the true extent of congestion within the conurbation, based generally on anecdotal evidence. The assumption that congestion will worsen as the Growth Area develops is likely to be true, and hence there is a risk that the demands of the Growth Area are not adequately met by supporting transport infrastructure, and that the existing network quickly exceeds its capacity to handle demand, resulting in significant congestion across the entire conurbation. In an attempt to mitigate this risk the Growth Area will be planned to ensure that the appropriate transport infrastructure is in place prior to occupation by future residents. Should the levels of congestion worsen rapidly (i.e. during the course of LTP2) the Council will review the Network Management and Congestion Strategy, with a view to introducing demand restraint measures earlier than anticipated. This would be considered carefully in the context of how far we have got with regard to offering genuine and viable alternatives to the car, and the impact that demand restraint would have upon local economies. This Strategy will be subjected to a regular review of risks in order to manage the potential for poor performance. The possible causes and likelihood of disruptive influences and the impact they would have will be carefully assessed and documented in accordance with the Council’s Risk Management Policy. Any significant initial risks and issues are identified in the Action Plan (Appendix D).

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APPENDIX A.

Congestion Hotspots Analysis Congestion hotspots have been identified through a technical assessment of traffic flow capacity and a survey of public concern Capacity Traffic consultants Colin Buchanan completed a review of 24 key junctions within Luton in terms of their comparative traffic congestion levels, to enable the prioritisation of congestion mitigation measures. They conceived a mathematical expression to determine and compare the congestion levels suffered by each individual junction. This model considers all 24 junctions to be “abstract”, in the sense that no consideration was given to their particular methods of control or their geometry. Only the number of arms approaching each junction, together with the number of lanes and individual lengths were considered. Each junction has been awarded a final score which represents the overall performance of the junction. A high score indicates the worst performance and likely congestion. During the AM and PM peaks several junctions were identified as underperforming relative to the other junctions in the study. The top four junctions to be assessed as under-performing are:

Junction 2- Chaul End Lane Roundabout The junction with Hatters Way/Dallow Road/Chaul End Lane registered the highest score during both morning and evening peaks. This junction has high vehicle flows and high average queues, although not the highest overall. It was the relatively low saturation flow and short links (Dallow Road and Chaul End) that resulted in the poor assessment. Junction 11- Three Horseshoes Roundabout The junction with Bramingham Road/Marsh Road/Sundon Park Road experienced only average vehicle flows during both peak periods, however the junctions low saturation flow meant that it had a relatively high degree of saturation. Total average queuing was not excessive during both peaks but the junctions short link lengths caused high queuing saturation. Both these factors combined resulted in second and third highest scores during AM and PM peak periods respectively. Junction 1 - Dunstable Road/Luton Road/Skimpot Road/Poynters Road The junction had the highest overall total traffic flow during both morning and evening peaks. However, due to the relatively high saturation flow it did not have the highest degree of saturation. During the morning peak the junction had the longest total average queue, but during the evening peak

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experienced far less queuing. Overall, this junction scored the third and forth highest scores during the AM and PM peak periods respectively. Junction 6 - Dunstable Road/Inkerman Street/Cardiff Road The junction had consistently high traffic flows. However, a relatively high saturation flow resulted in the junction having a relatively low degree of saturation. During the PM peak junction 6 had the highest total average queue, and during the AM peak had the third longest total average queue. It was these long queues combined with short link lengths that resulted in the junction having the fourth and second highest scores

A further six junctions are closely clustered within Luton town centre. It is vital that these particular junctions continue to function effectively because of their strategic location and also the ‘knock-on’ affect they could have on each other:

• Castle Street Roundabout • Dunstable Rd/Cardiff Rd/Inkerman St • Teardrop Roundabout • Dunstable Road/Francis Street/Hazelbury Crescent • Crawley Green Rd/Windmill Rd/St Mary’s Rd • New Bedford Rd/Cromwell Rd/Cromwell Hill and • New Bedford Rd/Telford Way.

Public concern The 2007 congestion survey asked “Where do you experience the worst congestion in Luton Borough Council?”. Road Name/Location Frequency Dunstable Rd 139 Bury Park 108 New Bedford Road 86 Telford Way roundabout 80 Telford Way/New Bedford Rd/Hucklesby Way Gyratory System 69 Hitchin Road 52 Town Centre 50 Stuart Street 48 Crawley Green Road 46 Hatters Way 46 Chaul End Lane/Oakley Rd Roundabout 45 Leagrave High Street 37 Hucklesby Way 36 Chaul End Lane 35 Vauxhall Way 34 Guildford St 30 Mill Street 28 Old Bedford Road 28 Marsh Rd 27 Oakley Rd 27

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The above table shows the top twenty roads which were mentioned as being the ones where people experience the worst congestion. A total of 1781 roads were mentioned by 481 people. Member Working Group on Congestion The Group identified 5 main areas of concern;

• Dunstable Road (in Bury Park) • The School Run • Chaul End Lane/Dunstable Road roundabout • Waller Ave./Leagrave Rd. signal controlled junction • Strategic/Local Routes

Arising from the Group’s report, a list of initial actions has been identified which are consistent with the Key Action in Appendix D and, in some cases already included in the Engineering and Transportation Work Programme agreed by Executive on 25 March 2008. When grouped together, the town centre appears to be the worst congested area in Luton and Dunstable Rd (which includes Bury Park) was the second most congested area, with Telford Way roundabout being the third most congested. It must be noted however that the town centre area had a higher number of roads in its category so this could explain why it is the worst congested rather than Bury Park. The least congested area in Luton is Farley Hill (out of the top twenty roads).

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Priority As a result the junctions have been grouped into three categories. The table below indicates the groups and the Major Schemes that are likely to improve traffic flow at each location. Where there is little prospect of significant improvement from a Major Scheme each of the junctions will be the subject of further investigation to assess the potential for improved traffic flow and journey time reliability. Junction Major Scheme Influence/Improvement Chaul End Lane Roundabout Luton Dunstable Busway Dunstable Rd/Cardiff Rd/Inkerman Street Three Horseshoes Roundabout Dunstable Rd/Skimpot Road/Poynters Rd Luton Dunstable Busway Teardrop Roundabout▲ Luton Dunstable Busway Crawley Green Rd/Windmill Rd/St. Mary’s Rd

Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme

Castle Street Roundabout Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme New Bedford Rd/Cromwell Rd/Cromwell Hill

New Bedford Rd/Telford Way Dunstable Rd/Francis St/Hazelbury Cres▲ Luton Dunstable Busway Guildford St/Bridge St Oakley Road Roundabout Luton Dunstable Busway Barton Rd/Weybourne Drive/Grasmere Road

Vauxhall Way/Crawley Green Road Barton Rd/Icknield Way/Enterprise Way Round Green Roundabout Barnfield Roundabout Barton Rd/Turnpike Drive/Quantock Rise Roman Road Roundabout Stockingstone Roundabout Hitchin Rd/Vauxhall Way/Stopsley Way Birch Link▲ Luton Dunstable Busway Leagrave Rd/Woodland Ave Hitchin Rd/Brunswick Rd Waller Ave/Leagrave Rd/Blundell Rd ▲ It is recommended that these elements be combined for consideration of part of Dunstable Road between the Tear Drop and Birch Link.

Priority 1. Underperforming/public concern

Priority 2. Town centre critical/ public concern

Priority 3. Public concern

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APPENDIX B Outline Communications Plan

Who Why How When

Road users Travel info. and advice VMS / Internet (Elgin) Emergency Services Incident management Email / Telephone Neighbour authorities Incident awareness Email / Tel. /Internet (Elgin) Immediate Highways Agency Incident management/diversion Email / Tel. /Internet (Elgin) Media Travel info. and advice Telephone / Email Statutory undertakers Whereabouts Electronic notices Daily Contractors Whereabouts Electronic notices Neighbour authorities Exchange of streetworks info. Email Internal Works Managers

Exchange of planned streetworks information

Email Weekly

Traffic control team Review events/control strategies Team meeting Contractors/Suppliers Programme management Progress meeting Monthly Local Area Agreement Manager

Performance monitoring Strategy development

Head of Service / Traffic Manager attend meeting

Director of Environment and Regeneration

Local Transport Plan performance monitoring

Directorate Management Team

Head of Service Performance Management Traffic Managers core team Executive Member Performance review Congestion working Group Bus operators Improved service

Modal shift Punctuality improvement partnership

Term contractor Contract performance management

Contract Core Board

Emergency Services Highways Agency Sustrans

Coordination Performance review Programme development

Traffic Management Meeting

Quarterly

Statutory undertakers Coordination / Liaison Local / Regional HAUC Neighbouring authorities

Coordination strategy Performance review Best practice exchange

E Region Traffic / Safety Managers Group

Airport Access & winter maintenance Liaison meeting Government Office Eastern Region

LTP and Network Management duty progress

Meeting with Regional Director

Bi-annually

Taxi operators Improved services / Modal shift Local Association / Forum Strategic Partnership Board

Liaison Feedback

Head of Service / Traffic Manager attend meeting

Community Strategy Group

Monitoring and development Head of Service / Traffic Manager attend meeting

Chief Executive Corporate Plan Corporate Management team

Executive LTP performance review Report Annually Government LTP performance review Report Transport action groups Stakeholder Forums

Consultation Performance review

LTP review workshop Newsletter

Rail operator

Improved services and connectivity

Transport provider forum

Major employers

Travel planning Network management duty

Media/Forum/Meeting

Road user behaviour Education/training/publicity Media/Training Public attitude Consultation about service Surveys/Surgery Community Promotion/engagement

Requests for service Consultation Performance feedback

Email Internet Meetings Attend clubs/groups

As necessary

Government Major scheme promotion Bid submission/meeting Council employees

Network Management Duty Coordination/liaison Travel planning

Newsletter Meetings Forum

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Variable message signs will be used to warn road users about particular disruption. The signs will be provided before the point drivers can make a choice of route. They will be located at reasonable cost taking account of power supply and communication links etc. Each sign will have a unique reference number linked to the control strategy and sign message database. The messages in the event of an incident will, in priority order, be to:

1. Give the location of a source of delay. 2. Where possible identify who needs to follow the advice 3. Provide advice on the best alternative to minimise delay.

In some situation messages will be used to direct non affected traffic flow away from critical junctions to minimise overall delay. Road numbers will generally be the most direct way to reference a source of delay but the public do not currently pay enough attention the road numbers so to gain maximum benefit publicity and promotional material will be required. In normal use where no incidents are reported the signs will show a suitable message or indicate current journey times. These, where space permits, will indicate road numbers and names as a way of increasing driver awareness of display protocol. Every effort will be made to keep the messages simple. To avoid the use of too many numbers the message format will be: (road number) (incident) for (place name) use (road number) Where space is limited or advice is not appropriate the format will be: (road number) (incident) at (place name) On Trunk roads junction numbers will be used in place of place names or road number where appropriate. Messages on Trunk and primary routes must avoid local location reference. Sign size limitations will sometimes make location definition difficult so a set of agreed abbreviations for place names will be publicised.

Car park guidance will be used to avoid unnecessary queuing and reduce circulating traffic flow. The number of spaces in main car parks will be monitored during the day and displayed on signs at key locations.

Satellite navigation data such as “ITIS” and “Traffic-master” delay data will be used to supplement the live ANPR data for journey time monitoring. This is a cost effective way of getting a view of current conditions on the network.

Urban Traffic Management & Control (UTMC) database will provide the link between the various systems. It will enable operator intervention in response to incidents utilising pre loaded plans and strategies. It will gather and record data for performance reporting and supply travel information. Initially the control centre operators will chose the plan to implement. This will either be using a printed plan or computer application to identify the correct link and intervention plan. A database will be prepared that is easy to search either using the operators’ computer or as a printed document. Each intervention strategy will be programmed into the UTMC system. Ultimately delay detection should enable automatic plan selection.

Bus priority & real time information will be used to promote modal shift through the provision of faster high quality travel. Buses will be tracked to enable bus priority through traffic signals and real time departures to be displayed at bus stops and through other internet devices. Operator will use the system to adjust departures to improve connectivity and to schedule more efficient service. Services such as Park and Ride that run on a headway basis will be afforded permanent priority. Scheduled services will be afforded priority if they fall more than 3 minutes behind schedule.

CCTV will be used at key locations for constant surveillance to detect problems. Links to other CCTV systems for crime detection purposes or HA control of the Trunk roads will be used to validate conditions. The cameras will also be considered for future civil enforcement purposes using the Street-watch type application to detect moving traffic offences.

ANPR journey time and other speed / flow detection will be used to identify disruption and highlight the possible need for intervention. It will also supply monitoring data for journey time reliability.

Urban Traffic Control (SCOOT) or Dial-Up Strategic Control systems will monitor traffic entering the network and link the traffic signal timings and stages. They provide the opportunity to immediately implement new timings to prioritise traffic flow. They can also provide a coarse indication of the level of congestion.

Traffic Signals will be used at junctions where other forms of control such as priority junctions or roundabouts have insufficient capacity. They will be used to prioritise flow at times of over capacity and provide pedestrian priority when appropriate. They will be equipped with remote monitoring to give an early warning of failure.

APPENDIX C System Functions:

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Appendix D Network Management Key Actions Priority

Essential for compliance with Duty Necessary for high performing status Desirable best practice / local benefits

Ref. Action

When by Issues / Risk

1. Identify and complete the necessary changes to ensure compliance with new parking Regulations.

March 08 COMPLETED

2. Review the current parking enforcement guidelines and publish on internet.

July 08

3. Review existing procedures, systems and organisation structure to ensure the authority’s works are scrutinised and co-ordinated consistently and effectively with all other streetworks.

April 08 COMPLETED

4. Decide how best to collect and report network performance data and set suitable targets.

Nov. 08

5. Consider the business case for and decide whether to operate a Fixed Penalty Notice Scheme for Streetworks enforcement

June 08

6. Consider the business case for and decide whether to apply to operate a Permit scheme for Streetworks coordination and control.

July 08

7. Consider the business case for and decide whether to take on civil enforcement of moving traffic offences when the new Regulations are published.

TBA DfT have yet to set date for publication of draft Regulations and guidelines.

8. Agree protocols for traffic control joint working with neighbouring authorities, develop closer working relationships with partners, in particular the HA and Police and establish shared objectives for the improvement of journey time reliability

January 09

9. Consider the business case for a traffic control centre to monitor traffic conditions, detect incidents, control the network and provide travel information/advice.

October 08

10. Establish and document control strategies, including diversion routes, for incidents, planned works and local events such as football matches.

July 08

11. Strengthen the partnership with Bus operator and establish shared objectives and opportunities for investment within a Punctuality

Feb 09

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Improvement Partnership. 12. Implement a bus management system to report performance, provide

real time passenger information and bus priority at signal junctions June 08

Deliver Major Schemes Programme: Luton-Dunstable Busway construction 2011 Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme construction 2011 East Luton Corridor construction Late 2008 M1 junction 10A Improvement design and programme development 2008

13.

Woodside Connection 2014 Support Bedfordshire County Council to deliver: Luton Northern Bypass – Secure funding 2008 Developer Scheme

14.

Dunstable Northern Bypass construction 2015 15. Identify key stakeholders and ensure effective engagement April 09 16. Review and agree the list of traffic sensitive streets April 08 Utility agreement 17. Review Development Control standards/Design Guide to support

compliance with Network Management Duty. Feb 09

18. Develop a rolling programme to review performance of junctions on priority traffic routes and assess whether any facilities need improving or removing.

June 08

19. Implement the planned replacement programme for traffic control systems.

March 08 COMPLETED AND AGREED BY EXECUTIVE 25 MARCH 2008

20. Publish information to explain how the network is managed and promote the relevant contact numbers to report traffic flow problems

March 09

21. Ensure Council staff, Contractors, Senior Managers and Members and emergency services, are fully aware of the role of the Traffic Manager, the Network Management Duty and the performance indicators and targets for congestion and journey time reliability.

Oct. 08

22. Agree and document protocols for the management of incidents and planned events with HA and emergency services and ensure that the necessary contracts are in place for emergency/rapid response.

May 09

23. Align traffic signal maintenance priorities to the priority traffic routes identified in the LTP for journey time reliability.

July 08 New contractor

24. Consider the business case for rapid response and the removal of obstructions from priority traffic routes.

May 10 Following Traffic Control Centre

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25. Establish the membership and terms of reference for the Traffic Managers Core Team

June 08

26. Prepare a report on the significant likely transportation effects associated with the Growth Area.

June 08

27. Undertake a survey in the Bury Park area to determine the level of through traffic and the potential for improvement.

Oct 08

Develop and deliver hotspot improvement programme: March 10 • Consider re-design of Chaul End Lane/Dunstable Road junction

and investigate accident statistics. Traffic counts completed, awaiting analysis,

design • Consider signal control at the "Teardrop" junction Awaiting traffic counts, analysis and design • Consider signal control at Crawley Road/Telford Way Awaiting traffic counts, analysis and design

28.

• Waller Ave/Leagrave Rd/Blundell Rd junction – Improvement and signal timings

Awaiting traffic counts, analysis and design