West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy
Transcription
West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy
Designing the Future West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 Committee Version December 2013 Contents Foreword i Summary ii 1 Introduction 1.1 1.1 Setting the Context 1.1 1.2 Existing Transport Network 1.1 1.3 Strategic Location 1.2 1.4 Transport Trends and Key Statistics 1.3 1.5 Consultation 1.5 1.6 Equalities Impact Assessment 1.6 2 Problems and Issues 2.1 Introduction 2.1 2.2 Dumbarton 2.1 2.3 Clydebank 2.4 2.4 Roads 2.6 2.5 Parking 2.8 2.6 Public Transport 2.7 Accessibility 2.12 2.8 Walking and Cycling 2.13 2.9 Summary of Problems and Issues 2.13 3 Objectives 3.1 3.1 The LTS Objectives 3.1 3.2 Policy Linkages 3.1 4 Strategy Implementation 4.1 Introduction 4.1 4.2 Policies 4.1 4.3 Framework 4.4 4.4 Delivery 4.5 4.5 Action Plan 4.8 5 Monitoring and Evaluation 5.1 Performance Indicators 5.1 5.2 Timescales and Reporting 5.4 Appendix: Contacts West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.1 2.9 4.1 5.1 5 Foreword We are pleased to present West Dunbartonshire Council’s third Local Transport Strategy. Following the publication of the previous strategy in 2007, there have been considerable changes to both the local and wider economy. This updated strategy for 2013 – 2018 reflects these changes and the challenges that all local authorities are now facing. Transport is pivotal to the success of our community. People need a transport system that is affordable, reliable, safe and efficient in order to access employment, education, key services and simply to go about their day-to-day lives. This updated document sets out a more streamlined approach aimed at supporting West Dunbartonshire as a strategic location on the transport network, whilst also delivering local improvements which address identified problems and support regeneration and economic development. The actions set out in this Local Transport Strategy will help to direct and shape the environment and lives of people living, working and visiting West Dunbartonshire. To ensure that our actions and policies are representative of the needs of these people, we have consulted widely with both the public and key stakeholders including neighbouring local authorities and transport providers. We are committed to ongoing involvement of the community and will continue to engage with you on all aspects of transport planning and delivery. Councillor David McBride Convener – Housing, Environment and Economic Development Committee Richard Cairns Executive Director – Infrastructure and Regeneration December 2013 West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 i Summary Introduction This Local Transport Strategy (LTS) has been developed by West Dunbartonshire Council and covers the period from 2013 – 2018. It builds upon the previous LTS and is designed to address local problems that have been identified. The LTS is focussed upon deliverable and achievable actions in the short to medium term. West Dunbartonshire is situated at a strategic location on the transport network acting as a gateway to Argyll & Bute, the Highlands and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park from the Glasgow conurbation. In addition, it is positioned at a key bridging point across the River Clyde providing links to Renfrewshire and Inverclyde. However, West Dunbartonshire Council shares responsibility for transport in the area with a number of other bodies including Transport Scotland and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. As a result, the Council has a dual role to fulfil by providing for local transport needs within the local authority area whilst also seeking to work in partnership with other bodies to facilitate a strategic transport network that supports its wider role within the transport network of the west of Scotland. Problems and Issues The problems and issues to be addressed in the LTS are summarised in the following table and have been identified through a combination of: A review of the previous LTS and transport studies which have been undertaken over recent years; Analysis of relevant local, regional and national policy documents; and Findings from public and stakeholder consultation exercises. These have been segregated into two tiers to reflect the varying scale and priority of the problems that have been identified. The prioritisation has been informed by the findings from the consultation exercises. The tiers are defined as follows: Tier 1: Primary problems with significant impacts and / or in need of resolution at the earliest possible opportunity; and Tier 2: Secondary problems with more limited impacts and / or likely to have a longer lead-in time for resolution. In addition, the problems have been categorised into whether they are local and / or strategic in nature. These designations are defined as: Strategic: impacts upon the strategic transport network and / or on people that are only travelling through West Dunbartonshire as part of a longer journey leading to wider implications at a regional or national level; and Local: impacts upon local people and their ability to get around within West Dunbartonshire with no wider implications at a regional or national level. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 ii Summary Problem Strategic Local Tier 1 Need to improve the frequency, affordability and accessibility of public transport Congestion at A82 / A814 Dumbuck junction Lack of a diversionary route to the A82 between Dumbuck and Dunglass (missing A814 link) / poor accessibility to former ESSO site at Bowling restricting scope for redevelopment Traffic access and management problems in the vicinity of Dumbarton town centre and Church Street roundabout Congestion, queuing and delays in the Kilbowie / Hardgate area of Clydebank Asset management and maintenance of infrastructure including roads, footpaths, cycle paths / lanes, street lighting, bridges and winter maintenance Poor access to essential services by a range of transport modes Desire to decrease car use and encourage more use of walking, cycling and public transport Tier 2 Poor pedestrian links between Dumbarton town centre and St James Retail Park Lack of local feeder routes linking to strategic cycle network Congestion at A82 Arden to Stoneymollan Poor connections and accessibility to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and along the Strathleven Corridor Difficulty in changing between transport modes in Clydebank town centre and need for sustainable access to Clydebank riverside developments Lack of accessibility to the key regeneration site at Carless, Old Kilpatrick restricting scope for development Traffic management problems in Alexandria town centre West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 iii Summary Objectives The LTS objectives maintain consistency with the overarching headings defined in the previous LTS and have been developed building upon the need to resolve the identified problems. They also closely reflect the cross cutting themes from West Dunbartonshire’s Strategic Plan and have been developed maintaining consistency with these wherever possible. The six LTS objectives have been defined as: 1. Economy: to support a vibrant and sustainable local economy that stimulates business development and economic growth; 2. Environment: to support West Dunbartonshire as an attractive and sustainable place to live, work and visit; 3. Integration: to enhance integration and efficiency of transport networks, infrastructure and services; 4. Accessibility & Social: to facilitate access to services and opportunities, promote physical and mental well-being, prevent ill health and reduce inequality; 5. Safety: to support communities in which people feel safe to live, work and enjoy their leisure time; and 6. Maintenance: to maintain the transport network to a high standard that ensures it is safe and fit for purpose. Strategy Implementation West Dunbartonshire has a unique position in the west of Scotland being located in close proximity to the Glasgow conurbation and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park whilst also sustaining stand alone local towns that provide key services for the surrounding community. The Council has developed a framework for the LTS that seeks to draw upon the benefits offered by these circumstances and is based upon two key aspects as follows: Supporting West Dunbartonshire’s Strategic Location: West Dunbartonshire is located at a pivotal point on the transport network with the Highlands and Loch Lomond to the west, Glasgow to the east and at a key bridging point to the south of the River Clyde. The provision of a robust transport network that supports this strategic function is consequently a key requirement; and Delivering Local Improvements: Addressing the problems identified in Clydebank and Dumbarton in particular and supporting the ongoing regeneration and economic development of West Dunbartonshire through appropriate local interventions. This Strategy Framework provides the context for the interventions and projects defined in the Action Plan. The LTS has also established three policy pillars that will act as the guiding principles for its implementation which include Sustainable Transport, Access for All and Supporting Development & Economic Activity. The interventions to be taken forward to deliver the strategy are defined in the Action Plan which has been developed to address the problems identified. They have also been classified West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 iv Summary in accordance with the tier structure and strategic / local categorisation defined. The interventions will be funded from the Council’s annual capital and revenue budgets whilst additional funding from partners will be sought as necessary. In particular, external funding support will be sought for projects highlighted as being strategic as these have been identified as having wider implications at a regional or national level or affecting a part of the transport network for which West Dunbartonshire Council has no responsibility. The Council has identified the following three core schemes as being crucial to delivering the priorities and objectives of the LTS. These schemes will provide a means through which a number of the interventions set out in the Action Plan will be delivered. Statutory Bus Quality Partnership: the investigation of a Statutory Bus Quality Partnership for West Dunbartonshire, in partnership with SPT, is deemed to offer both local and strategic benefits and would act as a means of delivering more attractive bus services in the area by making infrastructure improvements dependent on service quality and / or affordability improvements. Strathleven Corridor Working Group: the Council will seek to bring together key organisations with an interest in transport provision in West Dunbartonshire and its neighbouring areas in a Working Group. It will be action orientated with a clear remit to address strategic problems that affect transport networks and services where the Council has only partial or no control. It will not address local problems which are the sole responsibility of the Council. Asset Management Plan: the Council already produces an Asset Management Plan for the local transport network for which it is responsible. This provides the key mechanism for planning and prioritising maintenance and renewal work undertaken by the Council on local transport infrastructure including roads, footpaths, cycle paths / lanes, street lighting and bridges. We will seek to build upon this foundation by continuing to refine our asset management system to provide an even more effective means of planning and targeting resources at areas of greatest need. Monitoring and Evaluation A set of performance indicators and targets have been developed which provide the basis for monitoring progress towards achieving the LTS objectives. Monitoring of performance against the targets will be undertaken twice during the lifetime of the strategy, initially around halfway through the strategy timescale and then towards the end of the LTS period in 2018. This will allow an evaluation of the outcomes from the LTS to be undertaken to inform future actions for the new LTS. These reviews will be undertaken by an independent party that is external to the Council. This will ensure that monitoring and evaluation is objective and unbiased. The findings from this analysis will be presented in a Monitoring & Evaluation Report. The Council will also undertake an internal review of the Action Plan annually to assess progress made against the stated actions. This will identify where any corrective measures are required to deliver the interventions and will also assess whether any actions should be added, amended or removed. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 v 1 Introduction 1.1 1.1.1 Setting the Context This Local Transport Strategy (LTS) has been developed by West Dunbartonshire Council and covers the period from 2013 – 2018. It builds upon the previous LTS and is designed to address local problems that have been identified. The LTS is focussed upon deliverable and achievable actions in the short to medium term. 1.1.2 The LTS is part of a planning hierarchy that includes the National Transport Strategy and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s (SPT) Regional Transport Strategy. These provide the foundation for long-term transport planning and the development of strategic transport schemes in the area. The LTS has been developed taking into account and maintaining consistency with these strategies. In addition, it has also been informed by other relevant policy documents including the West Dunbartonshire Strategic Plan, Single Outcome Agreement and Corporate Plan as well as the emerging West Dunbartonshire Local Development Plan and Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan. It also reflects the National Planning Framework 2 and Strategic Transport Projects Review. 1.1.3 West Dunbartonshire Council shares responsibility for transport in the area with a number of other bodies. The Council is responsible for the management and maintenance of the local public road and footpath network. Transport Scotland oversees the management and maintenance of the Trunk Road network (the A82 west of the Erskine Bridge) whilst they contract maintenance to Scotland Transerv and Bear Scotland. Transport Scotland also has strategic responsibility for managing and developing the railway network alongside Network Rail whilst train services are provided by the Scottish Rail franchisee specified by Transport Scotland. The current franchisee is First ScotRail, and the franchise will be renewed in 2014. 1.1.4 Local bus services are provided without subsidy by private bus operators except where services are commercially unviable but are required to serve social inclusion purposes. In these instances subsidised bus services are provided which are specified and procured by SPT on behalf of West Dunbartonshire Council. SPT also have a range of other responsibilities including provision of school transport services, maintaining bus shelters and bus stops, concessionary travel, regional and integrated ticketing, provision of demand responsive transport, provision of capital funding for transport projects, statutory agency in the development plan process, and secretariat of the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme. 1.2 1.2.1 Existing Transport Network The A82 Trunk Road is the main arterial link through West Dunbartonshire linking to Glasgow in the east as well as Loch Lomond and beyond in the north. It also provides access to the Erskine Bridge which connects West Dunbartonshire with areas on the south bank of the River Clyde. 1.2.2 There are thirteen railway stations in West Dunbartonshire with few built-up areas further than 1½ kilometres from the nearest station. 1.2.3 The transport network in West Dunbartonshire is illustrated in the following map showing the West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 1.1 1 Introduction A class road network and railway network. WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LOCAL TRANSPORT NETWORK LOCH LOMOND STATIONS 1. Balloch 2. Alexandria 3. Renton 4. Dalreoch 5. Dumbarton Central 6. Dumbarton East 7. Bowling 8. Kilpatrick 9. Dalmuir 10. Singer 11. Drumry 12. Yoker 13. Clydebank GARTOCHARN A811 BALLOCH 1 A82 2 ALEXANDRIA A813 3 RENTON A82 A812 A814 4 5 DUMBARTON 6 A814 MILTON BOWLING 7 OLD KILPATRICK 8 A82 A814 9 A8014 10 13 CLYDEBANK 1.3 1.3.1 A810 11 12 Strategic Location West Dunbartonshire is consequently situated at a strategic location on the transport network acting as a gateway to Argyll & Bute and the Highlands from the Glasgow conurbation. In addition, it is positioned at a key bridging point across the River Clyde providing links to Renfrewshire and Inverclyde. 1.3.2 The following map illustrates West Dunbartonshire’s strategic position on the transport network and highlights its pivotal place in the region. 1.3.3 As a result, West Dunbartonshire Council has a dual role to fulfil by providing for local transport needs within the local authority area whilst also seeking to work in partnership with other bodies to facilitate a strategic transport network that supports its wider role within the transport network of the west of Scotland. 1.3.4 This dual role is obviously a key consideration in the Local Transport Strategy but it should be noted that the LTS largely focuses upon delivery of services that meet local needs as strategic transport planning falls under the remit of Transport Scotland and SPT West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 1.2 1 Introduction predominantly. ARGYLL & BUTE AND THE HIGHLANDS WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE INVERCLYDE RENFREWSHIRE 1.4 1.4.1 GLASGOW Transport Trends and Key Statistics The following figure provides an overview of transport statistics and trends in West Dunbartonshire. A summary of other key statistics is then provided. These show that: there are higher levels of usage and dependency upon public transport in West Dunbartonshire than across Scotland as a whole – highlighting the importance of good quality public transport to people in the area; car ownership is lower than the national average underpinning the high levels of public transport usage; public transport services are seen as convenient and safe but there are still concerns about some aspects of public transport particularly the value for money offered by bus fares; traffic growth and congestion seems to be less of a problem in West Dunbartonshire than it is nationally; levels of walking and cycling are lower than the national average; there is an ageing population which will create additional pressures upon public transport and demand for concessionary travel over time; and the economy is less buoyant than Scotland as a whole and dependent upon the service sector which is likely to contribute to above average demand for public transport. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 1.3 1 Introduction West Dunbartonshire - Transport Trends Section 1: Travel to Work Section 4: Public Transport Usage & Accessibility 3% 3% Other 2% 2% Bicycle 72% Never use trains 53% 4% Use trains once a week 14% 14% Walk 10% 3% 4% Use trains every day 6% Car Passenger 13% 58% 56% Never use buses 4% Rail 9% 8% 9% Use buses once a week 10% 8% Bus 9% 12% Use buses every day 61% Car Driver 55% 0% 0% 10% 20% Scotland 30% 40% West Dunbartonshire 50% 60% 20% 70% Section 2: Car Ownership & Usage Scotland 40% 60% Section 5: Attitudes to Public Transport 42% Drive every day The fares are good value 41% 33% 55% 75% 70% It is easy changing to other forms of transport 5% 3+ cars per household 80% West Dunbartonshire 3% Finding out about routes and times is easy 73% 21% 2 cars per household People feel safe and secure during the evening 14% 62% 48% Buses are environmentally friendly 43% 1 car per household 37% 46% 56% People feel that buses are on time 37% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 48% 51% Very Convenient 40% 45% 50% 0% Scotland 75% 61% 31% 0 car per household 83% 20% 40% West Dunbartonshire Section 3: Road Network, Traffic & Congestion 60% Scotland 80% 100% Section 6: Cycling 38% Road network condition red or amber 36% 35% Households with access to a bicycle 33% 11% Drivers experiencing congestion 8% 50% People concerned about traffic growth 42% 42% People that regularly walk to get around 38% 10% Traffic growth over last 10 years 9% 0% 10% Scotland 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% West Dunbartonshire 0% 10% Scotland 20% 30% 40% 50% West Dunbartonshire Sources: Latest available data from Scottish Household Survey and Scottish Government's 'Scottish Transport Statistics' Oct. 2013 West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 1.4 1 Introduction West Dunbartonshire - Key Statistics 2012 Section 1: Population 90,340 people live in West Dunbartonshire 29,858 people live in Clydebank 20,527 people live in Dumbarton 159 sq km in area 569 people per square kilometre 17% of people are 65 or over Section 2: Employment 77% 76% People that are economically active 82% People employed in service industry 88% 4% 4% People claiming Job Seekers Allownace 11% People with no qualifications 15% 0% 20% 40% Scotland 60% 80% West Dunbartonshire 100% Source: Latest available data from General Register Office for Scotland and NOMIS Official Labour Market Statistics - Oct. 2013 1.5 1.5.1 Consultation The LTS has been developed taking into account the findings of consultations with the public and transport industry organisations. A public questionnaire was used to gather the opinions of people that live and work in West Dunbartonshire about the transport problems and issues that need to be addressed. The consultation period ran from May to July 2012 and the questionnaire was available online and in a traditional paper based format. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 1.5 1 1.5.2 Introduction In addition, a consultation workshop was held in June 2012 for transport industry bodies and officers from across relevant departments of West Dunbartonshire Council. Finally, a draft LTS was put out to consultation between September and October 2012. The findings from these consultation exercises have been incorporated into the LTS and have helped to identify the problems and issues to be addressed as well as the interventions set out in the strategy. The full results of the consultation exercises are set out in a separate Consultation Report. 1.6 1.6.1 Equalities Impact Assessment The Council is committed to mainstreaming equalities, and wants to ensure that we address the three arms of the general equality duty when going about our business, whenever and wherever they are relevant. These three arms are; Eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation; Advancing equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not ; and Fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. 1.6.2 An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) process began in May 2012 to inform the formation of the new LTS. Local, regional and national evidence was examined in the process of the EIA. 1.6.3 From the outset it was identified that increased efforts should be made to seek the views from as wide a range of equalities groups at possible. To aid this, an augmented mailing list was used for contacting equality community groups. Follow up reminders were specifically aimed at equality community groups to ensure that as much opportunity as possible was provided to make online or written responses. 1.6.4 The EIA itself was updated throughout the process, as suggestions for improvements in the process of consultation and content of the consultative draft of the LTS from groups (for example Clyde Shopmobility and West Dunbartonshire Access for All) were made. 1.6.5 It was also noted that concerns were raised about the impact of Welfare Reform, for instance that this would likely mean an increased demand for accessible public transport. 1.6.6 The work done on producing the LTS including consultation and involvement will feed into the evidence base considered for what Equality Outcomes the Council sets in April 2013. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 1.6 2 Problems and Issues 2.1 2.1.1 Introduction The problems and issues to be addressed in the LTS have been identified through a combination of: A review of the previous LTS and transport studies which have been undertaken over recent years; 2.1.2 Analysis of relevant local, regional and national policy documents; and Findings from public and stakeholder consultation exercises. We found that some of the problems and issues are focussed on particular geographical areas, especially around the major towns of Dumbarton and Clydebank, whereas others are general issues that impact upon people across West Dunbartonshire. In addition, some are local problems but that have wider significance beyond the boundaries of West Dunbartonshire as they also affect the strategic transport network of the west of Scotland. It is therefore important to consider both these aspects. 2.2 Dumbarton Town Centre Access & Traffic Management 2.2.1 Access and traffic management problems in Dumbarton Town Centre are an ongoing issue affecting High Street, Church Street Roundabout and the St James Retail Park area. 2.2.2 High Street is suffering from high traffic flows within pedestrianised restricted a area road semiwith space. The original intention was for High Street to have restricted access for buses, taxis and cycles only. However, after restricted it initially was being reopened to general traffic at the request of local traders who felt that their businesses were being adversely affected by access being restricted. 2.2.3 This has led to conflicts occurring, particularly between buses and general traffic, which has been heightened by a lack of enforcement of parking restrictions. Overall, the current operation of High Street causes delays, congestion and unreliable journey times for all vehicles whilst also creating road safety problems, particularly for pedestrians crossing High Street. This also creates local air quality and pollution problems. 2.2.4 The High Street is a focal point for local bus routes. The high bus flows and significant number of stops means these issues have a particular impact upon the reliability of bus West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.1 2 Problems and Issues services. 2.2.5 The Council has worked extensively over recent years with local partners including businesses, bus operators and SPT to identify potential resolutions to these issues. However, whilst problems are ongoing on High Street it is important to note that any amendments to this situation have the potential to be controversial and will require close coordination and collaboration between all parties to deliver a mutually acceptable resolution. An experimental Traffic Regulation Order is currently under development, and it is anticipated that this will be introduced in early 2014. Church Street Roundabout & St James Retail Park 2.2.6 The problems on High Street have had a knock-on impact on traffic in the surrounding area. There are high traffic flows on Church Street Roundabout throughout the day which can result in queuing, congestion and delays. This is caused by a combination of through traffic on Glasgow Road along with high flows on Church Street as a result of traffic to and from the town centre. 2.2.7 Previous analysis has found that there are delays to traffic, particularly buses, exiting St James Retail Park at the signalised junction with Glasgow Road. Conflicts also occur between cars, buses and pedestrians within the Retail Park itself. 2.2.8 In addition, pedestrian links between the Retail Park and Town Centre are poor which reduces the circulation of shoppers and the commercial attractiveness of the area. This is partially attributable to the undeveloped area around Castle Street which breaks the links between the locations. The Council has been working with its partners to explore opportunities for development in the vicinity of Castle Street through the Dumbarton Waterfront Design Framework. 2.2.9 In collaboration with SPT and following the Dumbarton Public Transport Priority Study, construction of the left slip eastbound A814 access to the St James’ Retail Park will commence in 2014. Additionally, there is an aspiration to construct a link road to connect the A814 Glasgow Road to Castle Street, and onwards to High Street, facilitating improved connectivity and access for both vehicles and pedestrians. 2.2.10 More widely, pedestrian links around Church Street Roundabout are also poor with the existing underpasses being perceived as a security concern. 2.2.11 Overall, the current Town Centre and St James Retail Park area are inhibited by a number of transport problems which reduces its attractiveness and levels of economic activity. A82 / A814 Dumbuck Junction 2.2.12 In 2009, the Council and Transport Scotland undertook the ‘A82 Trunk Road – Erskine Bridge to Arden Roundabout Route Strategy Study’. Analysis of traffic flows and road capacities carried out for this study found that the A82 at Milton has a lower capacity than other dual carriageway sections of the road due to West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.2 2 Problems and Issues factors such as number of accesses and presence of pedestrian crossings. In the future it is also predicted to carry the highest traffic flows across all sections reviewed by the study which is largely due to a large number of short distance trips made between Dumbarton and Milton. 2.2.13 The study identified that the A82 / A814 Dumbuck junction is a particular concern due to the level of queuing and delay that is experienced here. Given these problems the report highlighted that detailed assessment of the Dumbuck junction and A82 at Milton is required to resolve issues with the operation of the junction and the implications of traffic growth in this area. 2.2.14 The Council has identified the problems at the A82 / A814 Dumbuck junction as a significant issue due to the congestion, queuing and delays that are currently experienced affecting traffic flows to and from Dumbarton. However, given the A82 is part of the Trunk Road network these problems also affect strategic traffic movements and any solution at this location will need to be taken forward in conjunction with Transport Scotland. Former ESSO Site Access / A814 Missing Link 2.2.15 The land formerly occupied by the ESSO Petroleum Company lies between the main Glasgow to Dumbarton railway and the River Clyde to the west of the village of Bowling and east of Dumbarton as shown below. Aerial photography © Copyright Bing 2012 2.2.16 This site provides a unique development opportunity for employment along the waterfront. However, its development potential is currently constrained by limited access with only one access point located at the far-east of the site. To enable its full development a new western access would also be required, in the vicinity of the existing A82 / A814 Dumbuck junction, along with a development road linking the two junctions. 2.2.17 In addition, the section of the A82 Trunk Road between Dunglass Roundabout in the east and Dumbuck Junction in the west is the only section of the route along the Clyde waterfront where it is not paralleled by the A814 and the only dual carriageway section of the Trunk Road that does not have a parallel local road to provide relief during maintenance, accidents or emergency events. In the event of closure of the A82 in this location vehicles are required to follow a 29 mile diversionary route leading this section to become known as the ‘A814 West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.3 2 Problems and Issues missing link’. 2.2.18 A new western access and link road through the former ESSO site consequently offers scope to provide a dual role by enabling development to take place and acting as a diversionary route to the A82 as necessary. The Council recently undertook a study which identified scope to provide a new access at the west of the former ESSO site as well as a new link road between the east and west accesses. Work is now being taken forward to develop detailed proposals for land-use development in the vicinity. 2.2.19 Once the land-use development proposals for the site have been identified it will be necessary to explore the implications this will have on traffic levels that will need to be accommodated by the accesses. This will have a knock-on impact on Dumbuck junction which is already suffering from congestion. The resolution of problems at Dumbuck junction and proposals for access to enable development of the former ESSO site consequently need to be considered jointly to ensure any interventions brought forward accommodate all potential scenarios. 2.3 Clydebank Kilbowie Roundabout 2.3.1 Kilbowie Roundabout is situated in Faifley a pivotal location on the local and strategic road network acting as a focal point for traffic travelling Glasgow, Hardgate Roundabout Clydebank, Bearsden / Milngavie, the Erskine Bridge, Dumbarton as well as Ro ad Argyll and the Highlands. This is Du m ba rto n illustrated in the adjacent diagram. which has Kilbowie in A8 Dumbarton & the West Br id ge Roundabout movements at turn the problems are so severe that Kilbowie Roundabout Glasgow 98 created problems of congestion, queuing and delays. At peak times A82 Great Western Road e traffic place sk in taking Er conflicting 10 This position has led to numerous South of Erskine Bridge A8 2.3.2 Bearsden / Milngavie A8014 Kilbowie Road between Dalmuir Clydebank they also affect Hardgate Roundabout causing widespread disruption in the area. 2.3.3 In response to these problems, the Council, in conjunction with SPT, carried out a detailed study to understand the cause of problems in the area then identify and assess potential solutions. A range of potential interventions were considered which included public transport improvements, traffic management measures and major new road infrastructure. This was undertaken in line with the Transport Scotland’s Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). 2.3.4 The study concluded that given problems are already being experienced in the area and that they would be expected to increase as traffic levels grew that there was a requirement to West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.4 2 Problems and Issues address these issues at the earliest possible opportunity. The Council consequently decided to focus upon identifying a solution which could be implemented in the short-term to relieve these problems. 2.3.5 The Council is now taking forward plans to deliver a solution at Kilbowie Roundabout and has identified a preferred intervention which involves the realignment of Duntocher Road. This intervention minimises capital expenditure whilst delivering an improvement to traffic conditions in the area through improved journey times for public transport. However, it is acknowledged that if traffic levels continue to grow that there may be a requirement for further measures in the future and the Council plans to monitor the situation to identify if this is the case. Kilbowie Road Corridor 2.3.6 The Kilbowie Road corridor south of Kilbowie Roundabout is also subject to significant queuing and delays, particularly for southbound traffic in the AM peak period. This is primarily caused by the section between Kilbowie Roundabout and Clydebank Business Park with the majority of delays incurred at the junction between Kilbowie Road / Second Avenue / Montrose Street and, to a lesser extent, by right turners into the Business Park. Some delays are also caused by the Kilbowie Road / Chalmers Street junction. 2.3.7 Traffic leaving Kilbowie Roundabout and heading towards the town centre frequently experiences queuing and delays, which at times lead to queues extending on to Kilbowie Roundabout causing further problems in this area. 2.3.8 The railway bridge over Kilbowie Road at the junction with Chalmers Street is height restricted which limits the vehicles able to use this route. This is a particular problem for public transport as double deck buses are unable to operate on this corridor which reduces capacity that can be provided. Town Centre & Access to Riverside Developments 2.3.9 Clydebank is the largest of the three town centres in West Dunbartonshire whilst the Queens Quay development site lies to the immediate south of the town centre and has been the subject of significant and ongoing regeneration activities over recent years. Access to the town centre and riverside developments by a range of transport modes is a key priority for the Council. 2.3.10 Over recent years the Council has worked with its partners including Clydebank re-built and SPT to deliver upgrades to the transport facilities in and around the town centre. Junction improvements have been implemented at Cart Street / Glasgow Road and Kilbowie Road / Chalmers Street whilst the bus lay-bys have been upgraded on Chalmers Street. Dropping off facilities for taxis have also been enhanced. The next stage focuses on Alexander Street and Hume Street, creating a new junction on to Glasgow Road, closing the junction between Hume Street and Chalmers Street and making Alexander Street two-way. This will allow Chalmers Street to be dedicated solely to public transport. 2.3.11 However, the current bus terminus on Chalmers Street remains outdated. It does not provide the quality of facility expected of a modern bus facility, is unattractive and increasingly unsafe for users. It is also distant from the main generator of demand, West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.5 2 Problems and Issues Clydebank Shopping Centre, and poorly connected to Clydebank railway station so is not well used. Passengers instead use lay-bys at the west end of Chalmers Street, which are closer to the shopping centre and station. 2.3.12 The town centre is undergoing significant redevelopment through the ongoing regeneration initiatives. These plans seek to move the retail ‘centre of gravity’ east of the Clyde Shopping Centre which will be supported by plans for a new supermarket in the area. These changes will help to link the regenerating town centre to the significant riverside developments at Queens Quay. The Council has identified that there is a requirement to tie these developments together through enhanced transport infrastructure. 2.3.13 In addition, there are also problems interchanging between different modes of transport in this area. There is a consequent requirement for enhanced transport integration in Clydebank town centre. This requires upgrading of the current bus station facility and closer integration with Clydebank railway station as well as ongoing improvements to the public realm in conjunction with the redevelopment of adjacent sites.. 2.3.14 Finally, the Council is encourage sustainable the centre town and keen to access to riverside developments. In particular, there is a need for fast and reliable strategic public transport provision along the Clyde Waterfront that links Clydebank regeneration developments to other sites then key and onwards to Glasgow. Dalmuir Corridor 2.3.15 The Council recently carried out road narrowing work on Dumbarton Road east of its junction with Mountblow Road. The work was undertaken to address structural issues on the bridge as there are two extensions to the bridge which are unable to withstand the weight of the current traffic requirements. Replacement of the bridge would enable the full width of the carriageway to be reintroduced but the costs of undertaking this work are prohibitive due to the presence of a gas main within the bridge structure. The full resolution of this constraint is consequently unlikely to be achievable without significant funding support. However, the Council will continue to monitor traffic movements in the vicinity and, if necessary, adjust traffic signals timings to ensure efficient operation of the network. 2.4 Roads Network and Traffic 2.4.1 Traffic growth and congestion is an issue which affects a number of sections of West Dunbartonshire’s road network, particularly in Dumbarton and Clydebank as highlighted. 2.4.2 Beyond these areas there are concerns about congestion on the A82 between Arden and Stoneymollan although this section West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 of the network is only partially within West 2.6 2 Problems and Issues Dunbartonshire and is part of the Trunk Road network and therefore the responsibility of Transport Scotland. Two fifths of the responses to our public questionnaire identified the resolution of this issue as a high priority. 2.4.3 Additionally, planned improvements at Pulpit Rock and for a Crianlarich bypass have potential to increase traffic on the A82 further, with the improvements making the route more attractive to coaches and HGVs, many of whom currently avoid the route due to the road conditions. 2.4.4 The Council has also been working to improve traffic management in Alexandria as part of a wider regeneration plan for the town centre which includes residential development, a new supermarket and redevelopment and refurbishment of the town centre shopping area. 2.4.5 In general, traffic growth and congestion seems to be a less significant issue in West Dunbartonshire than across Scotland as a whole although our public consultation confirmed concerns about the key network pinchpoints outlined. Given West Dunbartonshire’s strategic position on the transport network of the West of Scotland it is important to ensure that the network is robust and reliable by addressing localised issues across the area. Maintenance and Condition 2.4.6 According to the Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey West Dunbartonshire has a lower proportion of its local road network classified as ‘red’ (in need of repair) or ‘amber’ (further investigation required) than Scotland as a whole. However, there is a strong perception amongst the public that road maintenance and condition is poor as stated by nearly three quarters of respondents to our public survey. 2.4.7 The Council acknowledges these concerns and recognises the need to continue to improve the condition and maintenance of the local road and path network. 2.4.8 West Dunbartonshire has responsibility for around 15,000 street lighting columns but a backlog of maintenance has developed with many existing columns and lights having reached the end of their planned lifecycle. The Council has been successful in achieving a £6.75m energy efficiency scheme for the street lighting stock which will generate energy savings of £300,000 and maintenance savings of £200,000. The Council is working on a programme of renewal of street lighting columns but has limited resources available for this purpose. 2.4.9 The Council also has responsibility for the maintenance of bridges on the local road network. The West Dunbartonshire bridge register lists 281 bridges with the 124 of these being the responsibility of the Council. Routine inspection and maintenance of the bridge stock is undertaken on a rolling basis. However, there is a backlog of maintenance work for major bridges which has arisen due to the high capital costs of the works and the limited funds available. Safety 2.4.10 National targets for road safety have been established in ‘Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020’ which builds on previous targets that had been established for the period up to 2010. The Council will seek to adhere to these targets and they are reflected in the West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.7 2 Problems and Issues Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the LTS. 2.4.11 Road safety in West Dunbartonshire has improved markedly over recent years with both total casualties and child casualties showing a trend of ongoing decline as illustrated in the following figure. 90 80 70 Casualties 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1994-1998 Average 2004-2008 Average 2006-2010 Average Time Period Total People Killed & Seriously Injured 2.4.12 Children (<16 yrs) Killed & Seriously Injured These trends were replicated by the findings of our public survey which showed that most people felt the Council were performing well in this area. Nonetheless, the Council acknowledges the ongoing need to deliver road safety improvements and will work towards addressing known problem areas as well as delivering education and information campaigns. 2.5 Parking Enforcement 2.5.1 A lack of adequate parking enforcement has been identified as a particular problem in some locations, particularly in larger settlements like Dumbarton and Clydebank. This leads to issues such as poor turnover of parking spaces which affects retail, and creates congestion which affects all vehicles including delivery vehicles, cyclists and public transport services. 2.5.2 The responsibility for parking enforcement in West Dunbartonshire currently lies with Police Scotland. Limited resources however have led to a less than ideal enforcement of parking regulations. 2.5.3 The Council is currently in the preliminary stages of investigating the actions required to take on this responsibility. 2.5.4 Dependent upon the outcome of these investigations it would then be necessary to establish whether this course of action would be beneficial to the council and progress accordingly. 2.5.5 Should the Council decide to proceed it would then have the power to apply to the Scottish Government to decriminalise parking enforcement within the area. If successful, the Council, West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.8 2 Problems and Issues rather than the Police, would be responsible for the provision of parking attendants and the handling of parking offences. Provision and Availability 2.5.6 The public expressed some concerns about parking provision and availability through our consultation exercise with some of this undoubtedly stemming from the problems of enforcement highlighted. There is a range of issues that need to be taken into account in relation to the provision and availability of parking including: the balance of on and off street parking provision; the balance of long-stay and short-stay spaces; location of parking provision relative to key generators of demand; location and supply of parking for blue badge holders; frequency of turnover of spaces; balancing the requirements of different users such as commuters, shoppers, businesses and residents; 2.5.7 provision and location of taxi stances; and the role of parking in managing levels of car usage. These various interests need to be reconciled to ensure effective parking provision in our towns. The Council will take each aspect into consideration in delivering a comprehensive and coherent approach to parking across West Dunbartonshire. Loading / Unloading 2.5.8 Over half of respondents to our public consultation identified problems with loading and unloading in town and commercial centres. A number of issues can occur including the number and positioning of loading / unloading bays, abuse of loading bays by illegal parking, scale of demand, duration of time periods when loading / unloading is permitted as well as the size and type of vehicles requiring access. 2.5.9 The Council will seek to resolve loading / unloading issues in liaison with local businesses wherever possible taking into account the wider parking provision and availability considerations outlined previously. 2.6 Public Transport Network Coverage 2.6.1 West Dunbartonshire has an established bus and train network providing links on key routes into town centres and between urban areas both within West Dunbartonshire and to neighbouring areas like Glasgow. There are very limited public transport links across the Erskine Bridge and between Clydebank and Bearsden / Milngavie. In addition, there are a West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.9 2 Problems and Issues number of local gaps in the network principally in outlying housing estates, which are often areas of greatest deprivation as well, and during off-peak periods when services are less frequent and sometimes do not operate at all. Around two fifths of respondents to our public questionnaire highlighted concerns about bus frequencies and routes with similar issues being raised by a number of stakeholders. 2.6.2 Traditionally gaps in the network have been plugged wherever possible by subsidised bus services provided by SPT, if their funding criteria are met. Currently, SPT manages 10 contracts supporting socially necessary bus services operating in the Council area at an annual cost of £550,000 and 4 demand responsive bus service contracts at an annual cost of £450,000. However, with limited funding available there are likely to be some gaps that remain. The Council is keen to explore options to improve public transport network coverage where possible, which includes working with commercial bus operators and SPT to improve the bus network. This is unlikely to resolve all the perceived network coverage issues though, and the Council and SPT are committed to also exploring more innovative measures such as Community Transport initiatives. 2.6.3 The definition of Community Transport is quite broad but usually refers to transport provided by voluntary and community sector organisations on a not for profit basis. It can involve a range of measures which typically include things such as locally run minibuses and community buses, car sharing schemes, subsidised taxis, car clubs and car hire schemes. Supporting Infrastructure 2.6.4 Consultation responses highlighted that a sizeable number of the public feel that bus stops and other bus related infrastructure (e.g. shelters, bus lanes, etc.) are of a poor standard with only a quarter of people stating they are of a good standard. The Council works in conjunction with SPT to ensure that bus related infrastructure is appropriate and fit for purpose. SPT currently has 10-year agency agreements with the Council to maintain 500 stops and 200 shelters until 2013 and a 14 year agreement to maintain bus shelter advertising until 2015. It also provides and maintains 847 bus stop pole mounted information cases in West Dunbartonshire. These cases are owned by SPT and inspected and cleaned at least once per year. 2.6.5 The Council, in partnership with SPT, are in the midst of a bus infrastructure enhancement programme which has seen £315,000 invested over the last 3 years in 50 new shelters, 3 shelter upgrades, 32 shelters provided with mains power supply for lighting and 11 shelters with solar illumination systems. A £171,000 investment was also made to deliver improvements at Balloch bus terminus. 2.6.6 SPT has also allocated additional funding to improve bus infrastructure within Dumbarton and Clydebank in order to increase accessibility and improve safety and attractiveness of bus travel. This will include installation of new shelters and high access kerbs at stops to improve accessibility of bus services. A rolling programme of upgrading bus shelters is also being undertaken across the SPT area. 2.6.7 Work is consequently being progressed to improve the quality of bus related infrastructure in West Dunbartonshire but the Council recognises the need for an ongoing programme of maintenance, renewal and upgrading to ensure that it is fit for purpose. The Council will also continue to work with Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority to improve bus West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.10 2 Problems and Issues related infrastructure that is used to gain access to the National Park. 2.6.8 In terms of train infrastructure the Council has identified an ongoing issue with the quality of stations and would like to see these upgraded. The Council would like to see improvements to ensure that all stations are easily accessible for everyone. All the stations in West Dunbartonshire are owned by Network Rail and managed on their behalf by First ScotRail. Quality 2.6.9 The quality of buses and trains is an important factor influencing the attractiveness of public transport to users. Our consultation found that two fifths of people think the quality of buses is poor whilst only a tenth of people identified trains as being poor quality. There is clearly a perception amongst users that trains are higher quality than buses and whilst the Council has limited controls over bus service provision, there is obviously a need to improve the actual and perceived quality of buses. In particular, provision of buses that are accessible to all are a necessity for social inclusion purposes. The Council and SPT are committed to implementing measures that will help to address these issues, including the consideration of statutory bus Quality Partnerships in the area. Fares and Affordability 2.6.10 The affordability of public transport is a contentious issue which can heavily impact upon social inclusion, as those that tend to be most dependent upon public transport also tend to be those at most risk of deprivation. The public consultation exercise we carried out highlighted that the vast majority of people feel that public transport fares offer poor value for money. In particular, only a tenth of people felt that bus and train fares offered good value for money. 2.6.11 The Council has no direct control over bus and train fares and seeks to work in coordination with public transport operators and other bodies to ensure fares are affordable. The delivery of more affordable public transport services is consequently an extremely difficult issue to directly resolve. Information 2.6.12 Public transport information is provided through a range of means including at bus stops / train stations, in printed timetables and through journey planning services like Transport Direct (website) and Traveline (website / phone). Responsibility for provision and distribution of this information is shared between public transport operators and SPT who maintain four ‘Travel Points’ in West Dunbartonshire at Clydebank College, Vale of Leven Hospital, the National Park Gateway at Balloch, and the Golden Jubilee Hospital. 2.6.13 The public highlighted concerns about public transport information provision with nearly half stating they felt existing levels of provision were poor. SPT are taking forward a number of projects to improve public transport information provision including expansion of real time bus information, provision of additional travel information points, support to Traveline Scotland and investing in new bus stop poles, flags and cases. The Council is aware of the need to ensure that public transport information is readily available and distributed as widely as possible as well as being kept up to date and in an appropriate format for users. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.11 2 Problems and Issues Park & Ride 2.6.14 Working with SPT, the Council has delivered a number of improvements to Park & Ride provision over recent years. This has been focussed mainly around stations and includes 89 new spaces at Dumbarton East, 55 spaces at Dumbarton Central, 55 spaces at Drumry and 55 spaces at Alexandria. In addition, 160 spaces were provided as part of a bus based Park & Ride at Kilbowie. 2.6.15 Despite these improvements over two fifths of respondents to our public consultation felt Park & Ride provision was poor. The Council is aware of the need to continue to deliver enhancements to Park & Ride where possible and appropriate. In particular, proposals are being progressed to provide 39 additional Park & Ride spaces at Dalmuir Station. In addition, there is a need to encourage use of existing Park & Ride facilities where their uptake could be improved, for example, at Kilbowie. 2.7 Accessibility Access to Developments 2.7.1 The Council has identified the key development at the site of the former Carless oil refinery near Old Kilpatrick as requiring improved access in order to facilitate its regeneration. Vehicular access to the site is currently only possible via Erskine Ferry Road which inhibits scope for development. The site has been identified as one of West Dunbartonshire’s Key Regeneration Sites and there is consequently a requirement to resolve this access constraint to enable its redevelopment. Our public consultation found that two fifths of respondents felt this problem should be regarded as a high priority. 2.7.2 On a wider scale the Council has identified the Strathleven Corridor from Bowling along the River Clyde to Dumbarton and along the River Leven to Balloch as a key location for development linking up a number of key sites throughout West Dunbartonshire. These need to be supported by high quality transport provision that ensures accessibility by a range of transport modes. 2.7.3 In addition, access to Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park is of fundamental importance and the Council has identified a need to improve these links to maximise its attractiveness to visitors. Key to this will be accessibility improvements in the Strathleven Corridor but there will also be a need to support and encourage high quality development and enhance links to locations across the National Park that fall beyond the boundary of West Dunbartonshire which will necessitate coordinated working with neighbouring local authorities. Improved links to the National Park was highlighted as a high priority by just over two fifths of the respondents to our public consultation. Access to Facilities 2.7.4 Our public consultation identified that people have least difficulty in accessing shops in West Dunbartonshire. Access to shops was deemed to be best by walking or cycling, followed by public transport and then car. 2.7.5 Access to healthcare was felt to be slightly more difficult by people, particularly by public transport with fewer difficulties being experienced by those using walking or cycling. Over West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.12 2 Problems and Issues half of respondents outlined that access to healthcare by car was of good quality. 2.7.6 People experience the most difficulties in accessing jobs in West Dunbartonshire with over a third outlining that access by both public transport and walking and cycling was poor. Access to jobs by car was highlighted as being slightly easier although over a fifth of respondents felt this was poor as well. 2.7.7 Overall, in terms of access to essential services (shops, healthcare and jobs), people seem to experience the greatest difficulty in accessing jobs regardless of the mode of transport used. Shops seem to be the most accessible service across all modes of transport. There is consequently a need to focus on delivering enhanced access to employment sites by a range of transport modes to ensure access for all and minimise potential for social exclusion. 2.8 Walking and Cycling Network Coverage 2.8.1 The public suggested they are broadly happy with the number of footpaths available although there were concerns raised by nearly three fifths of respondents about the coverage of cycle lanes / paths. West Dunbartonshire benefits from the presence of the National Cycle Network Route 7 running through the centre of the Council area providing links to Glasgow in the east and Loch Lomond to the north with a regional link between Dumbarton and Helensburgh. This is complemented by National Cycle Network Route 754 linking Clydebank to Bishopbriggs and beyond. West Dunbartonshire is well served by strategic cycle routes but the Council has identified a need for more local links to the strategic cycle network to encourage greater use of it. This would also encourage the use of cycling for local trips. 2.8.2 The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 places a duty on Local Authorities to produce a Core Paths Plan which provides a framework of routes providing access throughout the area. The adopted West Dunbartonshire Core Paths Plan shows all routes designated as Core Paths. Maintenance and Condition 2.8.3 Nearly half of respondents to our public survey identified that the condition of footpaths in West Dunbartonshire was poor with a similar number highlighting concerns about the condition of cycle lanes / paths. There is consequently clearly a perception that walking and cycling routes in the Council area are of a poor standard. These concerns may help to explain the lower levels of walking and cycling to work in West Dunbartonshire relative to the national average. The Council acknowledges the need to continue to improve the quality and condition of walking and cycling routes in the area, particularly on the most heavily used routes, although this is constrained by the availability of funding for maintenance of infrastructure. 2.9 2.9.1 Summary of Problems and Issues The key problems to be addressed in the LTS are summarised in the following table. These have been segregated into two tiers to reflect the varying scale and priority of the problems that have been identified. The prioritisation has been informed by the findings from the West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.13 2 Problems and Issues consultation exercises. The tiers are defined as follows: Tier 1: Primary problems with significant impacts and / or in need of resolution at the earliest possible opportunity; and Tier 2: Secondary problems with more limited impacts and / or likely to have a longer lead-in time for resolution. 2.9.2 In addition, the problems have been categorised into whether they are local and / or strategic in nature. These designations are defined as: Strategic: impacts upon the strategic transport network and / or on people that are only travelling through West Dunbartonshire as part of a longer journey leading to wider implications at a regional or national level; and Local: impacts upon local people and their ability to get around within West Dunbartonshire with no wider implications at a regional or national level. Problem Strategic Local Tier 1 Need to improve the frequency, affordability and accessibility of public transport Congestion at A82 / A814 Dumbuck junction Lack of a diversionary route to the A82 between Dumbuck and Dunglass (missing A814 link) / poor accessibility to former ESSO site at Bowling restricting scope for redevelopment Traffic access and management problems in the vicinity of Dumbarton town centre and Church Street roundabout Congestion, queuing and delays in the Kilbowie / Hardgate area of Clydebank Asset management and maintenance of infrastructure including roads, footpaths, cycle paths / lanes, street lighting, bridges and winter maintenance Poor access to essential services by a range of transport modes Desire to decrease car use and encourage more use of walking, cycling and public transport Tier 2 Poor pedestrian links between Dumbarton town centre and St James Retail Park Lack of local feeder routes linking to strategic cycle network West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.14 2 Problems and Issues Problem Congestion at A82 Arden to Stoneymollan Poor connections and accessibility to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and along the Strathleven Corridor Difficulty in changing between transport modes in Clydebank town centre and need for sustainable access to Clydebank riverside Strategic Local developments Lack of accessibility to the key regeneration site at Carless, Old Kilpatrick restricting scope for development Traffic management problems in Alexandria town centre West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 2.15 3 Objectives 3.1 3.1.1 The LTS Objectives A set of objectives have been developed for the LTS which seek to address the identified problems and provide a focus for strategy delivery. The objectives have been defined as: 3.2 3.2.1 1. Economy to support a vibrant and sustainable local economy that stimulates business development and economic growth 2. Environment to support West Dunbartonshire as an attractive and sustainable place to live, work and visit 3. Integration to enhance integration and efficiency of transport networks, infrastructure and services 4. Accessibility & Social Inclusion to facilitate access to services and opportunities, promote physical and mental well-being, prevent ill health and reduce inequality 5. Safety to support communities in which people feel safe to live, work and enjoy their leisure time 6. Maintenance to maintain the transport network to a high standard that ensures it is safe and fit for purpose Policy Linkages The LTS objectives maintain consistency with the overarching headings defined in the previous LTS and have been developed building upon the need to resolve the problems identified in Chapter 2. 3.2.2 They also closely reflect the cross cutting themes from West Dunbartonshire’s Strategic Plan and have been developed maintaining consistency with these wherever possible. These links are illustrated in the following figure. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 3.1 3 Objectives Linkages to West Dunbartonshire Community Plan Cross Cutting Themes Building Strong and Safe Communities Creating Sustainable and Attractive Living Environments Developing Affordable and Sustainable Housing Improving Health and WellBeing Promoting Education and Lifelong Learning Regenerating and Growing Our Local Economy 1. Economy: to support a vibrant and sustainable local economy that stimulates business development and economic growth 2. Environment: to support West Dunbartonshire as an attractive and sustainable place to live, work and visit 3. Integration: to enhance integration and efficiency of transport networks, infrastructure and services 4. Accessibility and Social Inclusion: to facilitate access to services and opportunities, promote physical and mental well-being, prevent ill health and reduce inequality 5. Safety: to support communities in which people feel safe to live, work and enjoy their leisure time 6. Maintenance: to maintain the transport network to a high standard that ensures it is safe and fit for purpose West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 3.2 4 Strategy Implementation 4.1 4.1.1 Introduction The implementation of the LTS is broken down into three distinct but inter-related components which include: An overarching set of Policies which provide the guiding principles that will be applied when schemes and interventions are being developed and implemented; A Framework for delivery which provides the context and responsibilities for scheme implementation; and Strategy Delivery which will be achieved through a defined series of specific interventions set out in an Action Plan. Overarching these actions is a set of Core Schemes which provide the mechanism to achieve a number of the actions that have been defined. The remainder of this chapter sets out each of these aspects in detail. 4.2 4.2.1 Policies The LTS has established three policy pillars that will act as the guiding principles for its implementation which include Sustainable Transport, Access for All and Supporting Development & Economic Activity. The delivery of schemes and actions defined at the end of this chapter will consequently be undertaken in support of these policy pillars. Sustainable Transport 4.2.2 Whilst there are already above average levels of public transport use in West Dunbartonshire there is further scope to reduce car use and encourage more use of sustainable modes of transport like walking, cycling and public transport. The Council has adopted a hierarchy of modes which has been applied in the development of the Action Plan and is defined as: 1. Active Travel – walking and cycling; 2. Public Transport – buses and trains; 3. Traffic Management – maximising efficiency of the existing network; and 4. Road Infrastructure – new or amended road links. 4.2.3 The encouragement of more active travel and use of public transport whilst discouraging non-essential car use offers a number of benefits. In particular, active travel provides health benefits to the individual whilst all alternatives to the car help to reduce the negative environmental impacts of transport like carbon emissions and noise pollution. To achieve this there is a need to raise awareness of travel options available to people and to increase the attractiveness of alternatives to the car. 4.2.4 As part of this, the Council has identified a need for more ‘soft measures’ to encourage walking, cycling and use of public transport. We already support a range of initiatives to encourage sustainable travel including the child pedestrian training scheme Kerbcraft, the provision of cycle training in schools through the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme as well as West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 4.1 4 Strategy Implementation requiring the preparation of Travel Plans for major developments. Nonetheless, we are aware of the scope to further encourage use of these modes through targeted travel behaviour change initiatives that promote the health and environmental benefits of active travel and public transport. 4.2.5 Improvements to bus services will be important to encourage their greater use but can only be achieved through close partnership working with operators and SPT. This can be achieved on a voluntary basis or, where this is found to be insufficient, through the powers to create Statutory Quality Partnerships or Quality Contracts under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001. The Council has identified that there may be merit in exploring the introduction of a Statutory Quality Partnership to deliver improved bus services in West Dunbartonshire. Further details about this are provided in the following section. 4.2.6 Significant improvements have been made to Park & Ride provision in West Dunbartonshire over recent years and the Council will support further provision where it is anticipated that this will help to encourage the use of more sustainable modes of transport for at least part of a journey. However, poorly located or excessive Park & Ride facilities can lead to people who would previously have used public transport for their entire journey switching to car for part of it. The Council will consequently consider each case for Park & Ride provision on its own merits and will firstly seek to maximise usage of existing facilities before investing in new capacity. 4.2.7 Visitors to the area, and in particular, to the National Park should also be encouraged to travel actively and sustainably. The Council will continue to work with the National Park Authority to promote a wide range of integrated transport options which will appeal to visitors, including the water transport network. For example, services such as the Waterbus on Loch Lomond from Balloch Station provide an excellent opportunity for visitors to experience the Loch and link destinations on both sides without the need to drive. 4.2.8 Taxis and private hires will continue to play an important role in meeting travel needs in West Dunbartonshire. As a licensing authority, the Council sets down and reviews conditions governing vehicle capacity, condition and fare structure as well as overall numbers of private hire and taxi licences. The Council will continue to review the number of taxi licences issued in relation to demand and will seek to ensure wheelchair accessible vehicles are provided wherever possible. 4.2.9 We also support the implementation of alternative fuels in order to reduce the environmental impacts of cars. As such the Council, in conjunction with the Scottish Government, intends to install electric charging points during the 2013/14 financial year. Access for All 4.2.10 Access to essential services like jobs / education, healthcare, shops and leisure facilities is of crucial importance as inadequate accessibility can lead to problems of social exclusion and deprivation occurring. The Council has a duty to encourage access for all to ensure that groups at most risk of social exclusion have equal opportunities to access essential services and opportunities. 4.2.11 The Council’s Equality Policy aims to tackle discrimination against people with physical and mental disabilities, mobility impaired people, younger and older people, women, black and ethnic minority people and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people. The West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 4.2 4 Strategy Implementation Council also has a statutory duty to comply with requirements to promote disability equality, race equality and gender equality. These obligations will be a primary consideration in the development and implementation of transport schemes and have been reflected in the preparation of our Action Plan. 4.2.12 A key consideration for all, but particularly those at most risk of discrimination and social exclusion, is the safety and security of people using our transport network and services. This includes both road safety and the personal security of individuals when walking, cycling, waiting at bus stops or train stations as well as when on public transport services. The Council has not identified a significant problem with the safety and security of our transport network and services but is aware of the need to continue to improve this standard wherever possible, paying particular attention to the needs of the most vulnerable groups in society. 4.2.13 Some of the most at risk from social exclusion are those who either have no access to private and / or public transport or that are restricted from using existing services due to physical or mental impairments. People in these circumstances typically require tailored transport services which often takes the form of some kind of Community Transport. The Council is committed to supporting and exploring the scope for enhancing Community Transport provision and will work with its partners to achieve this where feasible and appropriate. In addition, the Council supports the provision of accessible public transport (including taxis) as it is essential to minimise social exclusion resulting from a lack of transport options. Supporting Development & Economic Activity 4.2.14 In general terms, the Council encourages land-use development which promotes access by walking, cycling and public transport whilst minimising dependence on access by car. This ensures that developments are accessible to as wide a range of people as possible. The Council has a presumption in favour of locating developments adjacent or close to public transport interchanges and bus routes. Transport Assessments will be required for significant trip generating land-uses and the preparation of Travel Plans will also be necessary for such developments. 4.2.15 We are committed to supporting regeneration across West Dunbartonshire, particularly at the key sites identified through the emerging Local Development Plan. The Council will work with potential developers to assist in identifying the transport access requirements of regeneration sites. 4.2.16 The Council supports and adopts the principles contained within the Scottish Government’s ‘Designing Streets’ policy statement. This places the emphasis in street design on placemaking and away from a system focused upon the dominance of motor vehicles. It advocates considering place before movement and enables street design that is not solely based on traffic considerations and a hierarchical road network. The principles of ‘Designing Streets’ will be applied to all new developments in West Dunbartonshire. 4.2.17 The ongoing vitality of our town centres is essential to supporting the local economy. The Council will help to achieve this by delivering efficient and effective access to town centres by a range of modes. This will involve a combination of measures including parking and demand management, traffic management and public transport accessibility, whilst application of the ‘Designing Streets’ principles will enhance the attractiveness of existing town centres. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 4.3 4 4.2.18 Strategy Implementation Car parking policy within any town centre is fundamentally about supplying parking facilities and managing demand for that parking. Facilitating parking to ensure a healthy economy, enable accessibility, manage road safety and also discourage unnecessary car journeys offers a particular challenge for the Council. We will seek to maintain attractiveness of our town centres by encouraging turnover of parking spaces in locations near retail and other key services whilst seeking to reduce long-stay commuter parking in inappropriate locations. 4.2.19 Alongside this is a requirement to ensure effective traffic management is in place and that there is good public transport accessibility to town centres. This requires a coordinated approach which seeks to balance the needs of alternative modes to provide integrated and efficient access to our town centres. The Council will continue to monitor town centre accessibility in our main settlements and will take forward initiatives to support their ongoing vitality as necessary. 4.2.20 The Council is also committed to an ongoing programme of maintenance activities to ensure our local transport network is robust and capable of supporting a strong local economy. This includes structural and routine maintenance of roads, footways, cycle paths / lanes, street lighting and bridges. 4.3 4.3.1 Framework West Dunbartonshire has a unique position in the west of Scotland being located in close proximity to the Glasgow conurbation and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park whilst also sustaining stand alone local towns that provide key services for the surrounding community. The Council has developed a framework for the LTS that seeks to draw upon the benefits offered by these circumstances and is based upon two key aspects as follows: Supporting West Dunbartonshire’s Strategic Location: West Dunbartonshire is located at a pivotal point on the transport network with the Highlands and Loch Lomond to the west, Glasgow to the east and at a key bridging point to the south of the River Clyde. The provision of a robust transport network that supports this strategic function is consequently a key requirement; and Delivering Local Improvements: Addressing the problems identified in Clydebank and Dumbarton in particular and supporting the ongoing regeneration and economic development of West Dunbartonshire through appropriate local interventions. 4.3.2 This Strategy Framework provides the context for the interventions and projects defined in the Action Plan. Supporting West Dunbartonshire’s Strategic Location 4.3.3 Whilst West Dunbartonshire has a strategic position on the transport network of the west of Scotland it has arguably suffered from this in the past rather than benefited. In particular, significant volumes of through traffic are experienced as a result of neighbouring areas with people travelling to and from Glasgow, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and across the Erskine Bridge. 4.3.4 The LTS seeks to reverse this situation by making West Dunbartonshire an attractive place to live, work and visit by supporting a vibrant local environment which makes it a perfect base location for people who want to take advantage of its close proximity to a range of key West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 4.4 4 Strategy Implementation attractions. West Dunbartonshire is ideally suited to those who want access to the services and opportunities available in the Glasgow conurbation whilst also living on the doorstep of one of Scotland’s National Parks. In addition, there is easy access to locations south of the Erskine Bridge including Glasgow Airport. It is consequently perfectly located for people that want to live in the area and travel to the facilities and attractions in the nearby vicinity. 4.3.5 To achieve this there is a need to ensure links to neighbouring areas are of a high standard and that problems and bottlenecks affecting the strategic transport network in West Dunbartonshire are resolved. However, the Council has only limited control of the strategic transport network and must work with regional and national partners that have direct responsibility for these networks to ensure they are fit for purpose. Delivering Local Improvements 4.3.6 Alongside this role as a strategic location within which to be based for links to neighbouring areas is the need to facilitate West Dunbartonshire’s position as a location with a pleasant environment, strong local economy as well as a range of services and opportunities in local towns like Dumbarton, Clydebank, Balloch, Alexandria and Renton. This builds upon West Dunbartonshire’s position as a stand alone and autonomous area that provides all necessary services and opportunities for its inhabitants. 4.3.7 The LTS can consequently help to make West Dunbartonshire an attractive place to work, live and do business by providing a local transport network and services that support existing towns and aid regeneration of key development sites. To do so it is important to resolve local problems and ensure that the local transport network and services meet the needs of residents. Summary 4.3.8 This dual role is summarised in the following figure which shows how the strategy framework translates to delivery. Spatial Focus Transport Focus Project Focus Delivery Mechanisms 4.4 4.4.1 Strategic Location Local Improvements Enhance links to Neighbouring Areas Local links to Towns & Regeneration areas Inter-urban Connectivity & Strategic Bottlenecks Local Networks & Services Strategic & Aspirational Operational & Deliverable Co-ordinated & Multi-partner Approach West Dunbartonshire Council Delivery The interventions to be taken forward to deliver the strategy are defined in the Action Plan set out in the following section. These have been developed to address the problems identified in Chapter 2 and have been classified in accordance with the tier structure and strategic / local categorisation it defined. 4.4.2 These will be delivered by West Dunbartonshire Council, in partnership with other bodies where appropriate, over the lifetime of the LTS. Each action has been assigned a timescale to identify whether it is ongoing or intended to be delivered in the short, medium or long West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 4.5 4 Strategy Implementation term. 4.4.3 The interventions will be funded from the Council’s annual capital and revenue budgets whilst additional funding from partners will be sought as necessary. In particular, external funding support will be sought for projects highlighted as being strategic as these have been identified as having wider implications at a regional or national level or affecting a part of the transport network for which West Dunbartonshire Council has no responsibility. 4.4.4 As part of the Monitoring and Evaluation scheme for the LTS, the Council will undertake an internal review of the Action Plan annually to assess progress made against the stated actions. This will identify where any corrective measures are required to deliver the interventions and will also assess whether any actions should be added, amended or removed. If required, an updated Action Plan will be published setting out the amendments that have been made and the associated justification. 4.4.5 Individual projects and schemes within the Action Plan will also be subject to separate monitoring and evaluation in their own right to determine whether they have achieved the desired outcomes and targets set for them. This process is over and above the monitoring and evaluation of the LTS itself which is described in Chapter 5. Core Schemes 4.4.6 The Council has identified the following three core schemes as being crucial mechanisms to deliver a number of the interventions set out in the following Action Plan. The implementation of these core schemes will consequently provide a means to implement the Action Plan and achieve the priorities and objectives of the LTS. Statutory Bus Quality Partnership The investigation of a Statutory Bus Quality Partnership for West Dunbartonshire, in partnership with SPT, is deemed to offer both local and strategic benefits and would act as a means of delivering more attractive bus services in the area by making infrastructure improvements dependent on service quality and / or affordability improvements. From a local perspective, the implementation of a Statutory Bus Quality Partnership would enable the Council to have more influence over the routes, frequencies and quality of services provided in West Dunbartonshire. This would help to ensure that the public are able to access the services and opportunities available within our boundaries by public transport making West Dunbartonshire an attractive and sustainable place to work, live and do business. At a strategic level, a Statutory Bus Quality Partnership would offer the mechanism to deliver fast and frequent public transport links to neighbouring areas. In particular, the Council is keen to see the extension of the Fastlink Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system (which aims to deliver high quality, fast, frequent and reliable bus services) to West Dunbartonshire. The first phase of Fastlink focuses on Glasgow with the route running along Clydeside via the International Financial Services District, the SECC, Govan and the new Southern General Hospital. It will be delivered through a Statutory Bus Quality Partnership and the establishment of a similar initiative in West Dunbartonshire will ease the future extension of Fastlink to our area. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 4.6 4 Strategy Implementation In addition, the Council will use Traffic Regulation Conditions as necessary to control the routes used by buses, their stopping places and dwell times at bus stops where this results in road safety or congestion problems occurring. Strathleven Corridor Working Group The Council will seek to bring together key organisations with an interest in transport provision in West Dunbartonshire and its neighbouring areas in a Working Group. This will provide a mechanism to discuss and address the strategic transport problems which affect the Strathleven Corridor, as set out in the following Action Plan, and ensure coordinated action to address them. It will also allow a ‘joined up’ approach to transport be delivered in neighbouring local authority areas (e.g. consistent parking policy, cross boundary schemes, etc.). The Working Group will be action orientated with a clear remit to address strategic problems that affect transport networks and services where the Council has only partial or no control. It will not address local problems which are the sole responsibility of the Council. If deemed appropriate and necessary it may also incorporate organisations involved in related fields such as economic development and land-use planning. Asset Management Plan The Council already produces an Asset Management Plan for the local transport network for which it is responsible. This provides the key mechanism for planning and prioritising maintenance and renewal work undertaken by the Council on local transport infrastructure including roads, footpaths, cycle paths / lanes, street lighting and bridges. Application of asset management principles has enabled the Council to deliver a more publicly focussed service that reacts to the needs and priorities of people across West Dunbartonshire. We will seek to build upon this foundation by continuing to refine our asset management system to provide an even more effective means of planning and targeting resources at areas of greatest need. The Asset Management Plan will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis taking into account the resources available for management and maintenance of the network. It consequently provides the mechanism through which we will deliver an effective, efficient, safe and reliable transport network in West Dunbartonshire. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 4.7 4 Strategy Implementation 4.5 Action Plan Problem Action Timescale Strategic Local Tier 1 Need to improve the frequency, affordability and accessibility of public transport Lack of a diversionary route to the A82 Implement a Statutory Bus Quality Partnership and Traffic Regulation Conditions along with appropriate bus infrastructure improvements Short Medium – Long In partnership with Transport Scotland, undertake detailed analysis of Dumbuck Junction and identify preferred solution to existing problems Medium Implement preferred solution to existing problems taking into account emerging proposals for development of former ESSO site Long Provide transport and accessibility inputs to masterplan for the site and seek to understand the development impacts on the A82 and Dumbuck junction Congestion at A82 / A814 Dumbuck junction Investigate the introduction of a Statutory Bus Quality Partnership and Traffic Regulation Conditions in West Dunbartonshire covering local and strategic services between Dumbuck and Dunglass Medium Long (missing A814 link) / poor accessibility to former ESSO site at Bowling restricting scope for redevelopment Traffic access and management Implement preferred options for providing access to former ESSO site Long Develop along with local stakeholders a shared space solution for Dumbarton town centre based on the principles of Designing Streets Short problems in the vicinity of Dumbarton town centre and Church Street roundabout West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 Implement shared space solution for Dumbarton town centre Medium 4.8 4 Strategy Implementation Problem Action Congestion, queuing and delays in the Kilbowie / Hardgate area of Clydebank infrastructure including roads, Investigate and implement complementary measures to improve walking and cycling links between Hardgate / Faifley and Clydebank Short Medium Medium - Maintain and keep under review an Asset Management Plan Ongoing Continue programme of routine, structural and winter maintenance based on priorities established in Asset Management Plan Ongoing Establish a procedure for notifying the public when a defect they have reported has been fixed Short Undertake accessibility analysis to identify areas with poor accessibility Short Identify priority interventions based on findings of accessibility analysis Short Implement priority interventions Develop a Smarter Travel programme and identify funding sources for implementing it footpaths, cycle paths / lanes, street Strategic Local Short Monitor the ongoing performance of the network to identify whether additional interventions will be required Asset management and maintenance of Implement preferred solution from STAG appraisal - ‘hamburger roundabout’ at Kilbowie Roundabout along with the relocation of Duntocher Road to the west Timescale Long lighting, bridges and winter maintenance Poor access to essential services by a range of transport modes Desire to decrease car use and West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 Implement programme of Smarter Travel interventions Medium Long Short encourage more use of walking, cycling and public transport Medium - Long 4.9 4 Strategy Implementation Problem Action Timescale Strategic Local Tier 2 Poor pedestrian links between Dumbarton town centre and St James Retail Park Congestion at A82 Arden to Develop Local Cycle Route Action Plan incorporating map of routes for new and improved local links Identify funding sources, take forward bids and implement schemes from Local Cycle Route Action Plan Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Medium – Long Short Long Ongoing Feasibility study for the provision of Park and Ride at Balloch Station and for the extension of Park and Ride facilities at Dalreoch Station Short Work with partners to develop the gateway to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park through strategic accessibility improvements Ongoing Enhance the public realm and connectivity by a variety of modes around Balloch and the Vale of Leven corridor including enhanced pedestrian access to public transport services West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 Medium – Work with Transport Scotland to alleviate and mitigate the impacts of congestion on the A82 upon the local road network National Park and along the Strathleven Corridor Short Stoneymollan Poor connections and accessibility to Provide input to future land-use development proposals for Castle Street to ensure good pedestrian links are integrated into the design Lack of local feeder routes linking to strategic cycle network Review and upgrade existing pedestrian routes between the town centre and St James Retail Park as well as between Dumbarton Central Station, Dumbarton Health Centre and Dumbarton town centre. Medium Long 4.10 4 Strategy Implementation Problem Action Deliver remaining components of Clydebank Interchange Take forward enhancements to bus interchange in conjunction with proposals to regenerate Clydebank town centre Difficulty in changing between transport modes in Clydebank town centre and need for sustainable access to Work with partners to deliver the North Clydeside Development Route to improve public and private transport provision between Glasgow and Clydebank along the Dumbarton Road corridor Long Undertake feasibility study to assess options for the provision of a new access road (or roads) for the site Short Kilpatrick restricting scope for development Work with developers to implement a new access road (or roads) Implement improvements to the public realm, car parking and amendments to the operation of the gyratory in the town centre Support the ongoing regeneration of the town through implementation of measures contained within the Alexandria Transport Action Plan Traffic management problems in Alexandria town centre Long Long regeneration site at Carless, Old Local Medium – Work with partners to deliver extension of Fastlink bus rapid transit scheme to Clydebank riverside and Clydebank town centre Strategic Medium Clydebank riverside developments Lack of accessibility to the key Timescale Medium - Long Short Medium – Long Indicative Timescales Ongoing Short Throughout LTS lifetime Up to 2 years Medium Long West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 Between 2 and 5 years Over 5 years 4.11 5 Monitoring and Evaluation 5.1 5.1.1 Performance Indicators A set of performance indicators and targets have been developed that are linked to the identified objectives set out in Chapter 3. These provide the basis for monitoring progress towards achieving the LTS objectives and are set out below. Performance Indicator 1: Car Ownership & Usage Obj 3 Obj 1 Obj 2 Description Travel to work patterns; Obj 4 Obj 5 Obj 6 Car ownership by household; Frequency of driving. Baseline West Dunbartonshire – Transport Trends Section 1 and 2 Target Maintain existing baseline as a minimum and aim to reduce levels of car dependency and usage by 2018. Justification Car ownership and usage is representative of the levels of car dependency in West Dunbartonshire. Reduced car usage will be difficult to achieve within the lifetime of the LTS so a target to stabilise car usage has been set with an aspiration to reduce it if possible. Data Source Scottish Household Survey Performance Indicator 2: Road Network, Traffic & Congestion Obj 1 Description Obj 2 Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 5 Obj 6 Condition of the road network; Traffic growth; People concerned about traffic growth; People that drive in congestion; Road Accidents & Casualties. Baseline West Dunbartonshire – Transport Trends Section 3 / Problems and Issues Section 2.4 West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 5.1 5 Monitoring and Evaluation Target Reduce the overall percentage of the road network that should be considered for maintenance treatment to 30% by 2014 / 15 Reduce the rate of traffic growth and number of people that drive in congestion by 2018. The road safety targets are, in comparison to the 2004–2008 average, a: 40% reduction in people killed by 2020; 55% reduction in people seriously injured by 2020; 50% reduction in children under 16 yrs old killed by 2020; 65% reduction in children under 16 yrs old seriously injured by 2020; and 10% reduction in number of people of all ages slightly injured in road accidents by 2020. Justification Road network condition provides an indication of extent and quality of maintenance undertaken. Target reflects Single Outcome Agreement. Traffic and congestion is representative of the operational efficiency and performance of the network. Accidents and casualties are a measure of road safety. Road safety targets reflect national targets. Improved operational efficiency and network performance will take time to deliver and it is not considered appropriate to set a quantified target at this time. Data Source Scottish Household Survey / STATS19 data from Strathclyde Police Performance Indicator 3: Attitudes to, Usage of & Accessibility to Public Transport Obj 1 Description Obj 2 Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 5 Obj 6 Frequency of using buses; Frequency of using trains; Public perceptions of public transport; People in close proximity to regular bus services. Baseline West Dunbartonshire – Transport Trends Section 4 and 5 Target Maintain existing levels of bus usage as a minimum by 2018; Maintain existing levels of train usage as a minimum by 2018; Improve perceptions of public transport by 2018; Maintain existing levels of accessibility to public transport as a minimum by 2018. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 5.2 5 Monitoring and Evaluation Justification Attitudes to and usage of public transport are representative of the potential for and actual behaviour change to more sustainable travel patterns. Accessibility to public transport illustrates how readily available it is to residents of West Dunbartonshire. Levels of public transport use in West Dunbartonshire already exceed the national average and encouraging further use of buses and trains will consequently be difficult. Maintaining existing levels of usage is deemed to be a demanding target. No specific aspect of public transport provision has been singled out as a problem in public perceptions so a general trend towards improvement is felt to be an adequate target. Data Source Scottish Household Survey Performance Indicator 4: Cycling & Walking Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 1 Obj 2 Description Frequency of walking as a means of travel; Obj 5 Obj 6 Households with access to a bicycle. Baseline West Dunbartonshire – Transport Trends Section 6 Target 42% of people regularly walk as a means of travel by 2018; 35% of households have access to a bicycle by 2018. Justification Levels of walking and ownership of bicycles are indicative of the use of alternative modes of transport to the car. Quantified targets based upon seeking to bring West Dunbartonshire on a par with the existing national average for these indicators. Data Source Scottish Household Survey Performance Indicator 5: Economic Activity Obj 1 Description Obj 2 Obj 3 Obj 4 Obj 5 Obj 6 People claiming Job Seekers Allowance; People with no qualifications. Baseline West Dunbartonshire – Key Statistics Section 2 Target 5.2% of working age people claiming Job Seekers Allowance by 2015 (Corporate Plan); Decrease the percentage of working age population with no qualifications by 2014 (Single Outcome Agreement). West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 5.3 5 Monitoring and Evaluation Justification People claiming Job Seekers Allowance is a proxy for unemployment and levels of economic activity whilst the number of people with no qualifications provides an indication of the skills available in the local labour market. Transport and accessibility improvements are deemed to support economic growth and activity although it is difficult to establish a direct link. As such, existing targets have been drawn upon from the West Dunbartonshire Corporate Plan and Single Outcome Agreement on the assumption that the LTS will support their achievement. Data Source 5.2 5.2.1 NOMIS Official Labour Market Statistics Timescales and Reporting All the performance indicators make use of readily available data collected through ongoing programmes such as the Scottish Household Survey. This will enable comparison with the baseline along with progress towards achieving the established targets. However, this data is not always collected on an annual basis which limits how often monitoring of the LTS can be undertaken. 5.2.2 Given these limitations, monitoring performance against the targets will be undertaken twice during the lifetime of the strategy, initially around halfway through the strategy timescale and then towards the end of the LTS period in 2018 as part of a review of the strategy and development of an updated one. This will allow an evaluation of the outcomes from the LTS to be undertaken to inform future actions for the new LTS. 5.2.3 These reviews will be undertaken by an independent party that is external to the Council. This will ensure that monitoring and evaluation is objective and unbiased. 5.2.4 The findings from this analysis will be presented in a Monitoring & Evaluation Report along with details of any corrective actions that have been taken or are proposed to help to achieve the established policy aspirations, objectives and targets. The root cause of any failure to deliver desired outcomes will be identified and reported along with any measures that could have been taken to mitigate these problems. 5.2.5 The key aspects in the LTS Monitoring & Evaluation Report will be: an analysis of performance against the indicators and targets; a review of factors underlying the identified performance; and an assessment of contribution towards the desired objectives, outcomes and policy aspirations as well as lessons learnt for the future. West Dunbartonshire Local Transport Strategy 2013 - 2018 5.4 Appendix: Contacts West Dunbartonshire Council www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk Transport Scotland www.transportscotland.gov.uk Housing, Environmental and Economic Development – Road Services Council Offices Garshake Road Dumbarton G82 3PU Transport Scotland Buchanan House 58 Port Dundas Road Glasgow G4 0HF Ronald M Dinnie Head of Neighbourhood Services Tel: 01389 737624 Email: [email protected] Jack McAulay Manager of Roads and Transportation Tel: 01389 737612 Email: [email protected] Strathclyde Partnership for Transport www.spt.co.uk General Enquiries SPT, Consort House 12 West George Street Glasgow G2 1HN Tel: 0141 332 6811 Email: [email protected] Concessionary Travel SPT Travel Card Unit Buchanan Bus Station Killermont Street Glasgow, G2 3NW Tel: 0141 333 3211 Tel: 0141 272 7100 Email: [email protected] Network Rail www.networkrail.co.uk Network Rail Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9AG Tel: 020 7557 8000 Traveline Scotland www.travelinescotland.com Tel: 0871 200 22 23 Transport Direct www.transportdirect.info Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority National Park Headquarters Carrochan Carrochan Road Balloch, G83 8EG. This document is also available in other languages, large print and audio format on request. Arabic Hindi Punjabi Urdu Chinese (Cantonese) Polish 01389 737527 Corporate Communications, West Dunbartonshire Council, Council Offices, Garshake Road, Dumbarton, G82 3PU [email protected]
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