8.2 Freer Flowing Local Roads

We will manage road space to promote efficient travel choices and reduce delays.

8.2.1 Functional Road Hierarchy

Each road carries a mixture of traffic relating to its place in the highway network. Principal roads usually carry faster moving traffic making longer journeys, including a higher proportion of Heavy Goods Vehicles. Local roads generally carry vehicles making shorter journeys, with higher numbers of pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users.

In developing our transport proposals, we will consider the needs of all road users and seek to provide a balance appropriate to the location.

Lancashire has classified all its roads and paths under a Functional Road Hierarchy which takes into account the role that each route plays in the network.  The classification ensures that each route is managed to fulfil its role in the network and balances the needs of all highway users.

Supply sided management measures, such as allocation of road hierarchy, help us to tackle issues in local areas.

Under the guidance of the Traffic Manager, we will distribute highway resources - road space and time - so that the network operates as efficiently as possible. We will review the existing network and identify locations where changes should be made to the allocation between vulnerable road users, public transport and private vehicles. Delay, where it cannot easily be remedied, will also be shared appropriately between vulnerable road users, public transport and private vehicles. In particular circumstances, we will consider special provision for other classes of road users, including delivery vehicles, taxis, multi-occupancy vehicles and motorcycles.

8.2.2 Better Use of the Network through Technology

Road space and time must be managed so that safe and convenient travel is available to all. Most journeys, even if they use the car or bus, end on foot, so good pedestrian facilities are needed to complete the great majority of journeys. To make walking and cycling more attractive, response times at Puffin and Toucan crossings will be reviewed and reduced provided that road safety is not jeopardised.

Traffic signals are vital to control traffic in urban areas. They resolve conflicting movements at junctions and allow vulnerable road users to cross busy roads in safety. We will increase the number of traffic signals with pedestrian phases. We will direct additional resources to the management of traffic signals and will reset timings and revalidate systems to match changing traffic flows. Shorter cycle times will reduce waiting times for traffic wishing to cross the junction and pedestrians wishing to cross the road. Across the network, the result will be shorter journey times for all road users.

The latest version of the SCOOT traffic signal control system incorporating the programs ASTRID and INGRID has been installed and validated at signal controlled junctions in Preston City Centre. Linked to Urban Traffic Management and Control, it has reduced cycle times, resulting in briefer waiting times for all road users and shorter journey times across the City Centre. Automatic reporting allows us to detect faults at signals more quickly. These are repaired under a Traffic Systems Partnership providing a 24 hour service. Urgent faults are attended within two hours, with appropriate limits for less critical faults. Performance targets are set to ensure the quality of the service.

8.2.3 Urban Traffic Management and Control

Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) has been introduced to Preston City Centre in one of four national demonstration projects. Its purpose is to manage congestion and incidents, manage the Urban Traffic Control (UTC) network better and disseminate transport information. The Preston system provides;

• Car park management at 5 large sites plus VMSs
• Automatic area access control
• Journey time measurement on the A6 through automatic number plate recognition (ANPR)
• VMSs at 5 strategic sites displaying network conditions and alternative routing
• UTMC SCOOT traffic signal control

These are all linked to a Common Database.  A new installation has been installed in the Control Room to operate the 17 UTMC-compliant outstations and the 90 legacy UTC outstations. The Evaluation Report, available at http://www.utmc.gov.uk/utmc29, concluded that UTMC enabled the Control Room staff to manage the network efficiently and enabled the provision of data from various applications to be used to take action when incidents arose. The Common Database information is shared with;

• Lancashire Constabulary
• Preston Bus
• Preston Borough Council
• St George's Shopping Centre
• Fishergate Shopping Centre
• Stagecoach North West and
• South Ribble Borough Council.

It was important that the system developed in Preston could be expanded both to other urban centres and to new applications. A link has been added to the Highways Agency and new applications are being added to support emergency planning, flood management with the Environment Agency and the automatic insertion of information from the roadworks database. Further cameras will be added to allow journey time measurement on the A59. The police also operate permanent cameras for ANPR in Preston and information from the two systems will be integrated to improve traffic management and crime prevention.

With the experience gained in Preston, UTMC was installed in Burnley in 2005/6 providing;

• car park management at 5 large sites plus VMSs
• congestion monitoring through traffic loops
• VMSs at 6 strategic sites displaying network conditions and alternative routeing

These are linked to an enhanced Common Database by a UTMC compliant communication system that can readily accept additional applications. The traffic loops measure road occupancy and queue lengths and can also measure traffic speeds and count traffic flows. We will introduce CCTV monitoring of the highway network.

In Lancaster we have completed a Vision Statement and drawn up a Deployment Plan for 2006/7. This will provide;

• Car park management at large sites plus VMSs
• Journey times through ANPR on 4 major routes
• VMSs at strategic sites displaying network conditions and alternative routing
• Expansion of CCTV on the gyratory systems
• Review and upgrading of UTMC SCOOT traffic signal control

again linked to an enhanced Common Database by a UTMC compliant communication system.

Preston has two Park and Ride operations, one at the Capitol Centre, Walton-le-Dale, the other at Portway which has two car parks in the Dockland estate. Car park management monitors occupancy at all three car parks and displays the number of vacant spaces on VMSs. In conjunction with the construction of Chorley Interchange, car park management, together with VMSs, was introduced to five car parks in Chorley. It will be installed in other urban centres where it will improve traffic flows and reduce congestion, beginning with Ormskirk.

8.2.4 Real Time Passenger Information

Real time passenger information gives passengers confidence in the bus network. It is visible at bus stops on the street and acts as an advertisement for new passengers. In parallel with UTMC, real time passenger information has been introduced to the bus station and bus stops in Preston. The network of Preston Bus was equipped first. This was followed in 2005/6 by the Preston-South Ribble route of J Fishwick and Son. Real time information is also available through the Traveline enquiry centre and will also be available via mobile phone text messaging. A business case is in preparation for the extension of real time information to the Preston-South Ribble network of Stagecoach together with bus priority at road junctions.

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