STRATEGIC PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

12 March 2019

 

Update on Maidstone Integrated Transport Package

 

Final Decision-Maker

Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee

Lead Head of Service/Lead Director

Director of Regeneration and Place

Lead Officer and Report Author

Abi Lewis, Economic Development Officer

Classification

Public

Wards affected

All

 

Executive Summary

 

This report provides an update on the delivery of the Maidstone Integrated Transport Package.

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee:

1.   That the Committee notes the update outlined in this report.

 

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee

12 March 2019



Update on Maidstone Integrated Transport Package

 

1.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

1.1     This report provides an update on the position of the business cases forming the Maidstone Integrated Transport Package (“MITP”).

 

1.2    The MITP aims to relieve congestion and improve journey time reliability across the borough, in doing so delivering the MBC Integrated Transport Strategy (“ITS”) and Local Plan, whilst complying with Department for Transport scheme performance and approval criteria to justify the investment of capital funds.

 

1.3     The overall MITP has an estimated value of £13.57m. This is broadly split across funding years from 2016 to 2020 and comprises £8.9 million Local Growth Fund (LGF) Round 1 contribution secured from central Government by Kent County Council (“KCC”) and £4.67m Section 106 contributions. The provisional LGF spend profile is:

 

16/17

17/18

18/19

19/20

TOTAL

£1.3m

£2m

£2.45m

£2.45m

£8.9m

 

1.4     Local Growth Fund project funding is only secured following the completion of a full business case, its subsequent appraisal by the Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) independent technical evaluator and approval by SELEP Accountability Board.

 

1.5     KCC initially submitted a bid for Local Growth Fund monies to SELEP to deliver two Park and Ride sites in Maidstone. However, MBC decided not to pursue a new Park and Ride at Linton Road and an expanded Park and Ride at Sittingbourne Road. In 2015 the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board (“MJTB”) agreed not to progress the park and ride site, and agreed instead (with SELEP approval) to progress work at a number of junctions across the borough instead, collectively referred to as the Maidstone Integrated Transport Package. These were:

 

·         A274 Willington Street/ Wallis Avenue Junction (“Scheme 1”)

·         A20/ M20 Junction 5 (“Scheme 2”)

·         A20/Hermitage Lane (“Scheme 3”)

·         A229/A274 Wheatsheaf Junction (“Scheme 4”)

·         A20/ Willington Street Junction (“Scheme 5”)

 

1.6     The schemes were subsequently incorporated into Maidstone’s adopted Integrated Transport Strategy, Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Local Plan, to help support the growth contained in the Local Plan. Note that scheme numbering above relates to the project numbers utilised in KCC’s 2015 MTJB report.

 

Progress to date

1.7     An update report on the MITP was presented to the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board on 16 January 2019 outlining progress on the schemes, the risks associated with their delivery and information relating to the submission of the remaining business cases. This report is appended for reference (Appendix 1).

 

1.8     The business cases for three of the remaining four schemes were submitted to SELEP by KCC on 1 February 2019 and are now being evaluated by SELEP’s technical advisors, Steer. Feasibility work relating to the B2246 Hermitage Lane does not deliver the required capacity benefits and does not demonstrate good value for money, which is required for the approval of a submitted business case and release of remaining LGF funds. For this reason a business case for this scheme was not submitted, but design work continues to assess options for mitigation at this location.

 

1.9     It is anticipated that a decision will be made on the release of remaining MITP funding at the next SELEP Accountability Board meeting on 12th April 2019.

 

 

2.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

2.1     None. This report is for noting only.

 

 

3.       RISK

3.1    This report is presented for information only and has no risk management implications.


 

 

4.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

4.1     A verbal update on KCC’s delivery of the MITP was presented to this Committee on 9 October 2018, following which Members requested a written report.

 

4.2     Since this Committee date, update reports on outstanding MITP schemes (save for the junction improvement comprising “Scheme 1”) have been presented by KCC Officers to MJTB, the most recent occurrence being at the meeting on 16 January 2019.

 

 

5.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

5.1     MBC Officers will continue to work with their counterparts at Kent County Council to ensure that SELEP’s Technical Advisors and Accountability Board have all information required in order to approve the recently submitted business cases for the Maidstone Integrated Transport Package junction improvements.

 

5.2     MBC Officers will also continue to support the development of design work to ensure that the improvements are ready for delivery, subject to approval by the KCC Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport.

 

5.3     MBC Officers will continue to work with KCC to assess options and bring forward the delivery of mitigation and highway improvements on the B2246 Hermitage Lane.

 

5.4     Member briefings will be held over the forthcoming months to discuss the options and risks associated with each of the MITP junctions.

 

5.5     Whilst this report is presented for information only, Members must recognise the risks associated with the delivery of this package of works – as outlined in the 16 January 2019 MJTB report - and understand the timing constraint of 2021 for construction.

 

 

6.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

We do not expect the recommendations will by themselves materially affect achievement of corporate priorities. 

 

Head of Regeneration & Place

Risk Management

This report is presented for information only and has no risk management implications.

 

Head of Regeneration & Place

Financial

The proposals set out in the recommendation are all within already approved budgetary headings and so need no new funding for implementation.

 

Paul Holland, Senior Finance Manager (Client)

Staffing

We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing.

 

Head of Regeneration & Place

Legal

No direct legal implications arise from this report.  These highway improvement schemes/junction capacity improvements and transport interventions were agreed (amongst other highway schemes) as priorities at the Duty to Cooperate meeting with KCC Highways and Transportation on 12 May 2016 and build on the resolution of the MJTB meetings on 7 December 2015 and 13 July 2016 and were subsequently incorporated into Maidstone’s adopted Integrated Transport Strategy, Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Local Plan (through plan policies), to help support the growth contained in the Local Plan.

Russell Fitzpatrick, Lawyer (Planning), Mid Kent Legal Services

Privacy and Data Protection

No implications arising directly out of this report.

Mid Kent Legal Services

Equalities

No impact identified as a consequence of this update report and recommendations.

Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer

Public Health

We recognise that the recommendations will not negatively impact on population health or that of individuals.

 

Head of Regeneration & Place

Crime and Disorder

N/A

Head of Regeneration & Place

 

Procurement

N/A

Head of Regeneration & Place

 

7.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         Appendix 1: Report presented to Maidstone Joint Transportation Board on 16 January 2019 entitled “Maidstone Integrated Transport Package (MITP)”

 

 

8.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

·         Report presented to MJTB on 17 October 2018 entitled “Maidstone Integrated Transport Package (MITP)” whose objective was to provide an update and recommendation in respect of the proposed junction improvements contained within the Maidstone Integrated Transport Package (MITP) (Item 64 - "Maidstone Integrated Transport Package (MITP)").

 

·         Item 88 - Maidstone Integrated Transport Package and Associated Local Growth Fund Monies Update - Verbal Update given to SPS&T at its meeting of 9 October 2018

 

·         Reference from MBC Strategic Planning, Sustainability & Transportation Committee of 17 October 2018 

 

·         Draft Minutes of the MJTB meeting held on Wednesday, 17 October 2018

 

·         Statement of Common Ground as agreed between MBC and KCC Highways & Transportation (16 September 2016)