North
Yorkshire County Council
Business and
Environmental Services
Executive
Members
21
May 2021
Major
Scheme Development Budget Update
Report of the
Assistant Director – Highways and Transportation
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1.0
Purpose Of
Report
1.1
To
seek approval for a programme of projects to spend the Major Scheme
Development budget for 2021/22 from the Corporate Director -
Business Environmental Services in consultation with the BES
Executive Members.
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2.0
Background
2.1
In
October 2019 a paper was presented with an update on funding
opportunities for transport related schemes and NYCC’s
on-going development of a pipeline of schemes for potential future
bids.
2.2
Following the
October 2019 paper NYCC offered to visit each of the North
Yorkshire LPA’s to informally discuss potential transport
schemes to be included in the County Councils programme of
developing a ‘pipeline’ of ‘bid ready’
schemes.
2.3
Six
of the nine North Yorkshire Local Planning Authorities (excluding
the County Council) accepted this invitation. Brief details of the
potential feasibility projects discussed are set out in the table
below with an update provided on those that were included in the
2020/21 programme for the Major Schemes Development
Budget:
|
LPA
|
Suggestion
|
|
CDC
|
Further
development of Skipton LCWIP schemes - Delivered in
2020/21
|
|
A59 Broughton
Hall roundabout and congestion
|
|
Crosshills
Railway Station
|
|
Bentham town
centre masterplan.
|
|
Potential for
Skipton eastern link road to link road to serve potential new
housing
|
|
Potential loan to
commence junction improvement design necessary to deliver the Local
Plan
|
|
HDC
|
Friarage Street /
High Street Northallerton (FHSF) further development -
Delivered in 2020/21
|
|
Bedale and Aiskew
– Pedestrian and cycle routes including on the A684 corridor
through Aiskew
|
|
Infrastructure
improvements on Dalton Industrial Estate – Design to
adoptable standard
|
|
Junction
improvements between the A167 /A168 near Dalton (north of
Topcliffe)
|
|
HBC
|
Series of
Harrogate / Knaresborough Schemes - ongoing work in
2020/21
|
|
A59 Improvements
between Harrogate and York
|
|
A61 Harrogate to
Leeds
|
|
Traffic,
regeneration and public realm in Ripon.
|
|
RDC
|
Musley Bank &
Broughton Road junctions to A64 – Delivered in
2020/21
|
|
Potential for
Welham Road to York Road Link Road
|
|
Further
development of Malton / Norton Package
|
|
SBC
|
Scarborough
Station Area transport and public realm masterplan
|
|
Improved access
and information at rural bus stops between Scarborough and
Whitby
|
|
SDC
|
Wide ranging
Selby Town Centre and Station Area transport and public realm study
to build on TCF. Incorporating junction modelling and active travel
infrastructure – Selby Places and Movement Study carried
out in 2020/21
|
|
Eastern Access
Road to station (regeneration project with transport
implications)
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2.4
NYCC
provisionally identified a budget of c£700k per year for
2020/21 and 2021/22 years to undertake this scheme development
work. The schemes listed above were considered alongside County
Council own priorities and existing commitments in agreeing the
proposed programme for scheme development for 21/22.
3.0
2021/22
programme
3.1
It is
proposed that the NYCC Major Schemes Development programme for
2021/22 is as follows:
3.1.1
Harrogate
Transport Improvement Package - Following
previous work, undertaken as part of the Harrogate Congestion
Study, HTIP Stage 1 looked to progress the following workstreams,
in order to better understand the potential feasibility of
interventions and the maximum benefit that could realistically be
achieved for each mode:
·
Cycling (note
that the Walking element was taken forward as part of the Local
Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) project, but has
been developed in parallel);
·
Bus
Infrastructure;
·
Park
& Ride;
·
Highway
Schemes;
·
Smarter Choices
and Behaviour Change; and
·
Junctions
Improvements.
3.1.1
The outcome of this work identified that the greatest potential for
intervention is likely to be realised on the A61 South corridor.
The Major Scheme Development Budget will be used to further this
work and a separate report will be presented to the June meeting of
BES Executive Members to give more detail.
3.1.2
Pipeline schemes
– In addition to
the work above on the HTIP programme initial work was carried out
on a potential Killinghall bypass, it is recommended that this
scheme is taken to Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) stage
similar to other schemes on the Major Schemes list.
3.1.2.1
Feasibility work leading potentially to an SOBC will also be
included for a potential Skipton Eastern Link Road. This was
suggested by Craven District Council following the conversations in
October 2019 and has been raised again since. It is proposed that
this scheme will also be progressed to the same stage as other
Major schemes.
3.1.3
Catterick /
Richmond LCWIP – NYCC made
a commitment to develop an LCWIP for the main urban area within
each district in the County. Catterick is the last of the LCWIPs to
be developed and will incorporate links to Richmond.
3.1.4
Level Crossing
Improvements - NYCC commissioned
surveys at five level crossings to assess barrier down times, queue
lengths and traffic counts. The level crossings are Kildwick,
Starbeck and three level crossings in Northallerton which are Low
Gates, Romanby Road and Boroughbridge Road. The survey data
underlined the significant delays caused by the level crossings,
with Kildwick’s barrier down 35 minutes of the morning peak
hour. The surveys were used to inform modelling which showed the
potential for significant improvements in delay seconds per
Passenger Car Unit (PCU) at all five level crossings, but
particularly at Starbeck (26.6%), Kildwick (42.9%) and
Northallerton Lowgates (42.4%) within a best-case
scenario.
3.1.4.1 NYCC
would like to look at Kildwick and Starbeck level crossings in more
depth in order for us to obtain sufficient information to make a
decision about whether to proceed further with the interventions.
We anticipate this to involve micro simulation modelling within
both level crossings study areas and detailed analysis of benefits
with an indicative Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR). Work will also need to
be undertaken to understand if the proposed barrier down time
savings can be achieved consistently throughout the day (with
reference to surveys) and what effect potential increases in rail
traffic may have longer term.
The three Northallerton based level crossings are the subject of
business case development work being undertaken by Network Rail.
This work may lead to changes to the level crossings that will have
a positive impact on the highway network. Officers are in regular
contact with Network Rail and will be closely monitoring progress
of the business case development work.
3.1.5
Selby Place and
Movement Study - the Selby Place
and Movement study was commissioned in Summer 2020, jointly by NYCC
and Selby District Council (SDC). The aim of the study is to
consider how congestion could be reduced, how air quality could be
improved and how the highway network might be adapted to support
improved movement for all modes. In addition to this, the study
also considers the place making agenda in the towns in
question.
3.1.5.1 The study
was commissioned covering the areas of Selby, Sherburn in Elmet and
Tadcaster, and was funded by the YNYLEP, the NYCC major scheme
development budget and Selby District Council. To develop this work
further following the final report due at the end of May 2021 a
proposed allocation has been included within the Major Scheme
Development budget.
3.1.6
Scarborough
Station Gateway - Scarborough
Borough Council has been allocated £19m Town Deal Funding for
Scarborough. In discussion with the Borough Council it has been
concluded that it is highly likely that transport and townscape
improvements to the Scarborough Station / Stephen Joseph Theatre
area are likely to form part of a Station Gateway package. It is
therefore proposed to allocate a contribution towards considering
the transport aspects of any wider studies into the future of this
area. An allocation for Scarborough Station was included in the
2020/21 budget but not used due to delays in the Town Deal
fund.
3.1.7
Bid preparation
– as in previous
years an allocated amount of funding will be available to cover any
bidding opportunities that become available throughout the
year.
3.2
On
the basis of the above, the proposed programme of scheme
development for 2021/22 is set out in the table below:
|
Project
|
Scheme
development budget cost
|
|
Harrogate
Transport Improvement Package
|
£100k
|
|
Pipeline schemes
(Killinghall bypass, Skipton East link road)
|
£50k
|
|
Catterick /
Richmond LCWIP
|
£80k
|
|
Level Crossing
improvements
|
£100k
|
|
Selby Places and
Movement
|
£50k
|
|
Scarborough
Station Area
|
£70k
|
|
Bid
preparation
|
£100k
|
|
NYCC Staff
Costs
|
£150k
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
£700k
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4.0
Other sources of
funding
4.1
There
are also other funding sources that have been confirmed for
2021/22. They are:
4.1.1
Section 106
Funding for Ripon– This
funding totalling £70,000 will allow the development of an
LCWIP for Ripon. The Transport Planning team will be leading on
this work.
4.1.2
Active Travel
Fund – NYCC were
successful in bidding for Active Travel Funding in 2020. Delivery
of the infrastructure schemes will be managed by the relevant area
teams but reporting to the Department for Transport (DfT) will rest
with the Transport Planning team.
4.2
In
addition to the additional funding streams that have already been
confirmed the following provide opportunities for additional
funding:
4.2.1
Capability
Fund – A bid was
made to the DfT in April to access £207k revenue funding. The
detail of the bid was presented at a special meeting of the BES
Executive Members in April. We expect to be notified in May if we
have been successful in securing the funding.
4.2.2
Cycling and
Walking Capital funding – The DfT
has informed NYCC that there will be an allocation of capital
funding in 2021/22 to deliver infrastructure schemes. At this time
we are awaiting further details on this funding and the mechanism
for accessing it.
4.2.3
Scarborough Town
Deal – Delivery of part
of the Scarborough LCWIP could be funded through the Scarborough
Town Deal. The first 12 months of this project will involve
business case development with construction of schemes envisaged in
future years.
4.2.4
Levelling Up Fund
– In March 2021 the
Levelling Up Fund was announced. The first round of the fund is
open to bids until 18 June 2021. Bids of up to £20m can be
submitted and by exception larger bids of £20m - £50m.
There will be further rounds of this funding with details to follow
later in the year.
4.2.5
Community Renewal
Fund – Alongside the
Levelling Up Fund the Community Renewal Fund was announced. This is
a smaller pot of funding mainly focussed on revenue
interventions.
5.0
Equalities
5.1
Consideration has
been given to the potential for any equality impacts arising from
the recommendations. It is the view of officers that at this stage
the recommendations do not have an adverse impact on any of the
protected characteristics identified in the Equalities Act
2010. See Appendix 1.
6.0
Finance
6.1
The
Major Scheme Development budget is funded from CPE (£500k) and
the development Initiatives Reserve (£200k) and the allocation
of £700k for 2021/22 was fixed as part of a multi-year
allocation.
7.0
Legal
7.1
There
are no legal implications arising as a consequence of this
report.
8.0
Climate
Change
8.1
There
are no climate change implications arising as a consequence of this
report. See Appendix 2.
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9.0
Recommendations
9.1
That the Corporate Director - BES in consultation with the BES
Executive Members approves the proposed Major Scheme Development
programme for 2021/22
|
Barrie
Mason
Assistant
Director - Highways and Transportation.
Author of Report:
Louise Neale, Team Leader Transport Planning.
Background
Documents: None
