AGENDA ITEM
M11 ROUTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
6
Report to Transport Panel 22 March 2005
Author: Dave Humby 01992 556112
1.
Purpose of Report
To consider the initial M11 Route Management Strategy published by the
Highways Agency and agree the consultation response.
2.
Background
The Highways Agency (HA) have recently published for public consultation an
initial Route Management Strategy for the M11 between Junction 4 (London) and
Junction 14 (Cambridge). A response is required by 17 April 2005.
The M11 London to Cambridge Route Management Strategy (RMS) is a plan for
the management and development of the M11 from Junction 4 (North Circular
Road) to Junction 14 (north of Cambridge). The RMS process is a means by which
the HA can identify and collate existing problems and issues along a route,
including future planning and development issues. It can then link these with
agreed route objectives and functions that identify and prioritise what the HA
wants the route to do now and in the future and prepare a vision for the
improvements that will make better use of the road.
The aim of the RMS is to provide an open and optimum way of planning future
investment in the management, maintenance, operation and improvement of the
network, which integrates local and regional spatial planning and transport
interests in the decision-making process.
3.
Route Description
The M11 is part of the national motorway network and is the principal link between
London and Cambridge. Although the motorway does not pass through
Hertfordshire it connects to the major local communities of Harlow and Bishop’s
Stortford and provides access to Stansted Airport.
The section south of Junction 7 (Harlow) is dual three lane and in 2002 carried
97,000 vehicles per day. Congestion occurs at Junction 7 and at the approaches
to Junction 6 with the M25. Junction 7 is located south of the Harlow urban area
and is not well located to the major employment area north of the town centre.
Between Junction 7 and 8 the road is dual three lane and carries 69,000 vehicles
per day. Because of the location of the junctions much of the local traffic between
Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford uses the parallel A1184 through Sawbridgeworth
and contributes to significant congestion and adverse environmental conditions in
the town. The only Motorway Service Area on the M11 is located at Junction 8,
east of Bishop’s Stortford, and the access contributes to congestion on the
circulatory roundabout. North of Junction 8 the road reduces to dual two lane and
carries 62,000 vehicles per day. The percentage of Heavy Goods Vehicles on this
1
section and hilly nature of the route alignment leads to congestion and accident
problems.
4.
Development of the M11 RMS
Work on the RMS started in May 2002 when consultation letters were sent to key
stakeholders, local authorities, transport operating companies, environmental
organisations, local parish councils, pressure groups and business representatives
in the immediate area of the route, explaining the study and inviting them to give
their views. At that time an officer response was submitted on behalf of the Council
and has been summarised by the HA as below.
Both Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford experience adverse traffic conditions.
A new junction between Junctions 7 and 8 north of Harlow would significantly
improve east-west movement between Hertford and Chelmsford and would
provide a new access to Harlow. This would reduce the volume of A414 traffic
using unsuitable rural roads at times when Junction 7 is congested.
It is anticipated that new slip roads at Junction 8 (leading to Stansted Airport) will
ease conditions in the short term, but that the growth of traffic in the area “benefit
will be eroded in the long term”. The RMS needs to consider the case for
improvements at Junction 8, particularly for traffic using the M11 north of the
junction.
Ensure that the RMS implements measures to minimise congestion on the
motorway and ensure that traffic does not transfer to the A505/A10 route passing
Royston.
A draft RMS was developed in August 2002 but never published and there was a
break in the RMS process until the three Multi Modal Studies in the study area had
published their final reports.
Following completion of the MMSs, the draft RMS was updated and is now
presented as the Initial Route Management Strategy. This updated RMS details
the HA’s policy objectives, functions and problems which together with a land use
and development control statement form the basis of the report for Public
Consultation.
A public consultation is being carried out over a 12-week period to publicise the
proposed Route Management Strategy and to encourage comments from
members of the public. A workshop for invited stakeholders was held on 4 March
2005 and attended by a representative for the County Council.
After taking into account comments received during public consultation, a final
ten-year Route Management Strategy will be published in May 2005.
Following completion of the RMS, a Route Management Plan will be developed by
the HA providing the implementation plan for actions which contribute to the Route
Outcomes. The Route Management Plan will be subject to annual update and will
be reviewed as necessary as particular circumstances change. All outcomes will
be subject to the availability of funds, more detailed appraisal and the outcomes of
statutory and other procedures.
2
5.
Current Schemes and Maintenance Work
There are a number of on-going schemes along the route, including regular
maintenance work. The proposed Strategy assumes that this programmed work
will go ahead as planned.
6.
London to South Midlands Multi-modal Study
In his response to the London to South Midlands MMS, the Secretary of State
announced in July 2003 the following statements which directly affect the M11.
The Highways Agency :–


To submit proposals for upgrading the M11 to dual three lane standard
between Junctions 8 and 9
To carry out further work on upgrading the M11 to dual three lane motorway
standard between Junctions 9 and 14. If taken forward, this could be
implemented around the middle off the next decade.
The scheme to upgrade between Junctions 8 and 9 is currently at pre Targeted
Programme of Improvements (TPI) stage.
7.
Planning Policies
Significant growth is planned for the London Stansted Cambridge Peterborough
Corridor that will impact on M11. The report identifies the Areas of Special
Restraint in the north of Bishops Stortford but does not specifically recognise the
anticipated development proposals for retail and housing in the centre of the town.
The planned growth of Stansted Airport is reported including the recommendations
of the Airports White Paper to provide an additional runway.
8.
Route Functions
The route functions are described under the main headings of national, regional
and local function.
National Functions
The route performs the following national functions:
 NF1 - Forms part of the link from London to East Anglia.
 NF2 - Connects two of Britain’s major cities – London and Cambridge.
 NF3 – Provides the main link from Stansted Airport to the National Road
Network.
 NF4 – Provides a link in the London – Stansted – Cambridge – Peterborough
Growth Area.
3
Regional Functions
In a regional role, the route:
 RF1 – Provides a link from the eastern part of Thames Gateway to the national
road networks.
 RF2 – Forms one of the three motorways (M1,A1(M) and M11) from the M25 to
the north.
 RF3 – Forms one of the two (M1 and M11) motorway links from the M25
southwards towards Central London.
 RF4 – Facilitates the movement of the regional workforce to and between the
major centres of employment at Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Bishop’s
Stortford, Harlow and North London.
Local Functions
The route also provides for local accessibility, in particular it:
 LF1 – Acts as a local route around the urban areas of Cambridge, Saffron
Walden, Bishop’s Stortford, Harlow and North London, giving relief to local
roads.
 LF2 – Acts as an access to the countryside.
Three additional Regional Functions have been developed which will become
increasingly important over time as the existing route functions change. They are:
RF5
Supports Multi Modal Interchange at Stansted Airport.
RF6
Provides a transport link in the London-Stansted-CambridgePeterborough Corridor, as outlined in the Sustainable Communities
Plan and emerging RPG14.
RF7
Provides quick and safe journeys for athletes, officials and spectators
during the 2012 London Olympics.
One additional Local Function is:
LF3
To provide an access to existing and future public transport
infrastructure including potential guided bus-way in Cambridge.
These four additional functions reflect the increasing importance of the concepts of
accessibility and integration in the management and maintenance of the M11. The
growth and development of Stansted Airport and its supporting infrastructure
provides a clear opportunity to build upon its capability as a multi-modal transport
interchange. The National Functions remain unchanged.
4
9.
Route Outcomes
Based on an analysis of the route functions, and through consultation, a number of
proposed Route Outcomes have been identified. These have been determined on
the basis of the impact they are expected to have on the route functions, such as
serving local businesses and communities or the route issues they address, such
as provision of crossing facilities for vulnerable users. The Route Outcomes
general to the whole route and specifically relevant to the Hertfordshire section are
as follows:
RO1
Improve journey time reliability – London to Cambridge.
RO2
Reduce accident clusters on the route with particular reference to
junctions and known accident sites.
RO3
Investigate the provision of road user facilities on the M11 between
Junctions 8 and 14.
RO4
Improve road user information.
RO5
Minimise the impact of the M11 on the natural environment.
RO6
Minimise the impact of noise caused by the M11, with particular
reference to areas suffering from high noise severity.
RO7
Increase accessibility and minimise severance through the improved
provision of Non-Motorised User (NMU) infrastructure at junctions.
RO8
Facilitate increased multi-modal transport integration in accordance with
the 10 Year Plan for Transport.
RO9
Investigate opportunities for incorporating additional public transport
infrastructure in the M11 corridor.
RO10
Investigate improving access to the M11 from all existing junctions.
RO12
M11 Junction 7 – Work with Local Authorities to improve operation of
the M11/A414 Junction.
RO15
To work with key Stakeholders (Including BAA, Local Authorities and
DfT) to ensure that with the increased growth at Stansted Airport, as
suggested by the Airport White Paper, measures are implemented to
accommodate development related traffic.
RO16
To work with key Stakeholders (including Local Authorities, the Mayor
of London and DfT) to ensure that traffic effects of development along
the London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough corridor are minimised.
RO11, 13 and 14 are not relevant to Hertfordshire. The Route Outcomes are
expected to have a positive impact on the route as a whole.
5
10. Draft Consultation Response
The publication of the initial Route Management Strategy is welcomed.
The M11 is an important route nationally and its operation has a significant impact
on roads in Hertfordshire, particularly the A1184 which runs parallel to the
motorway between Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford through Sawbridgeworth. The
heavy volumes of traffic on this road cause major congestion at times, has an
adverse impact on the environment in the towns and makes the operation of public
transport inefficient and unreliable.
The operation of the junctions, particularly Junction 8, has a significant impact on
access to Bishop’s Stortford and Stansted Airport. Despite the benefits of the
opening of the dedicated slip roads from the M11 to the A120 east and Stansted
Airport there is still congestion at times on the circulatory roundabout which is a
particular problem at the point of access to the Motorway Service Area. The
strategy does not include any particular Route Outcome for Junction 8.
Many of the Route Outcomes are generic of the route as a whole and do not
identify specific locations where problems exist. For example, further studies need
to be carried out to identify locations where accidents occur, particularly whether
they are at junctions or on the links between. This information is not dealt with in
detail in the strategy document.
The RMS and subsequent Route Management Plan considers issues over the
next 10 years. The M11 corridor is in a major growth area and it can be expected
that traffic conditions in the corridor will change significantly in the coming years.
The Route Outcomes should be sufficiently flexible to respond to the changing
circumstances.
11. Issues for the Panel to consider
The Panel is invited to comment on the draft RMS and agree the consultation
response to be submitted to the Highways Agency.
12. Financial Implications
There are no financial implications for the County Council.
13. Decision Making Process
The consultation response will be approved by the Executive Member before
final submission to the Highways Agency.
6