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DECISION UNDER DELEGATED POWERS

DECISION CANNOT BE TAKEN BEFORE TUESDAY, 14

DECEMBER 2010

Title VENTNOR TO NITON TRAFFIC ROUTE

Report Author REPORT TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR ENVIRONMENT,

TRANSPORT AND CORPORATE SERVICES.

PURPOSE

1. To consider the options for managing and maintaining transport routes between Ventnor and
Niton on the southern coast of the Isle of Wight.

OUTCOMES

2. To note the outcome of public consultation on options to improve the road links between
Ventnor and Niton and determine the future approach to those links.

BACKGROUND

3. Undercliff Drive is part of the A3055 that runs parallel to the south and south-west coast of
the Isle of Wight, linking the south west of the Island to the coastal towns of Ventnor,
Shanklin and Sandown, and beyond to the south east of the Island.

4. The Undercliff is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and a Site of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSI). The geographical features of the Undercliff make the area
susceptible to slope instability due to the effects of coastal erosion and excess groundwater
levels. As a result, Undercliff Drive has a long history of damage caused by ground
movement and occasional landslide events that has necessitated repairs, reconstruction and
realignment. The road has a 6’6” width restriction placed on it, to limit the size and weight of
vehicles using it.

5. A number of options to secure the route and reopen it to all traffic have been investigated in
the past. Funding to implement such a scheme was provisionally approved by the
Department for Transport (DfT) although, following changes in government guidance, the
minimum benefit cost ratio required for detailed approval could not be achieved. The matter
was reported to cabinet on 20 November 2007. Cabinet resolved to:

• Undertake a detailed survey of the alternative route via Whitwell in order to ascertain
to what extent it would need improvement to make it suitable to function as part of the
Strategic Road Network (SRN), including the feasibility of bringing the route up to
principal A road standards. Investigate options for Undercliff Drive which may include
maintaining single lane working, closing the road at particular points or investigating
options for developing a “green way” along Undercliff Drive.
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 • Confirm to the Secretary of State that we do not wish to proceed with the Compulsory
Purchase and Side Road Orders.

• Continue to discuss funding options with Government Office South East (GOSE) and
the Department for Transport (DfT).

6. To establish the best way forward the Halcrow Group was commissioned in 2009 to help
determine options to improve the inland route as an alternative to continuing with the
existing traffic management regime. Those included both local bypasses for Niton and
Whitwell, a series of on line improvements including the signalisation of junctions in the
villages and specific interventions to address local slip failures and specific difficulties at key
junctions.

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

7. Since being reduced to a single lane, the usage of Undercliff Drive has reduced significantly
and it now carries fewer than 1,000 vehicles per day. Whilst the status of the route as an A
road has not been reviewed formally, practically the inland route via Ventnor Road and
Kemming Road now provides the strategic function. Those roads generally operate with free
flow traffic conditions and carry some 4,600 vehicles per day and just over 2,000 vehicles
per day respectively although concerns have been raised about the safety of the junctions in
the villages.

Consultation

8. A comprehensive public consultation has been held to establish the local perspective on a
range of measures to improve the inland route as an alternative to continuing with the
existing regime. The approach taken to public consultation is detailed in appendix 1.

Consultation feedback

9. The feedback from the consultation demonstrated that there was significant objection to the
concept of improving the inland route excepting a number of minor junction improvements to
improve capacity and safety on the diversionary route in Ventnor which attracted little
representation

10. The main areas of concern were:

• That the installation of traffic signals in Niton and Whitwell is not warranted;

• That money could be better spent on resurfacing roads - the condition of local roads
is clearly an important local priority;

• That no recommendation had been made for improved footpath links

• That some lower cost/alternative measures had not been assessed - such as
restricting the size of heavy vehicles (coaches were frequently mentioned).
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11. A number of people caveated their response by suggesting that Undercliff Drive should be
open to light vehicles only. Several people also noted the importance of retaining and
promoting Undercliff Drive as a scenic route for tourists.

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12. While many people recognised that the structural and natural issues affecting Undercliff
Drive mean it is difficult to predict what will happen in the future, generally people were open
to taking a pragmatic approach. Most people commented that they felt that the traffic flowed
well on the inland route for the majority of the time, with some suggesting that any short term
problems could be addressed through minor changes to help stop indiscriminate parking at
or near junctions which can make it difficult for larger vehicles to turn.

13. The consultation report is included on the council’s website at

www.iwight.com/council/what_is_a_council/Delegated_Powers/latestde.asp. Table 4.6 (Page
29) in the report gives an overview of the concerns relating to traffic signals and Table 4.7
(Pages 30/31) gives a synopsis of the alternative suggestions put forward by respondents.

Alternative Suggestion – Drainage Option

14. In addition to these a local resident and geotechnical engineer has suggested that the
seaward side of the Undercliff area slipped millions of years ago creating a misalignment of
the geology. He theorises that the pathway for water draining through the area is blocked by
the land that has slipped in front. This would have created a dam and head of water behind
the slip which acts to destabilise the land.

15. He suggests drilling a number of strategically placed horizontal boreholes into the slip at a
number of locations, in effect tapping into the water and draining the land behind.

FINANCIAL / BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

16. The coalition government has now withdrawn all mechanisms for local authorities to bid for
funding of new major schemes and as a consequence any improvement scheme would
need to be funded directly by the council

17. The costs and benefits of the options to improve alternative routes to Undercliff Drive have
been calculated in accordance with the Department for Transport’s Transport Appraisal
Guidance which was previously used to help determine the comparative value for money for
local authority promoted major schemes.

18. Due to the uncertainties in the effectiveness and cost of the drainage option it is not possible
to evaluate the Benefit Cost Ratio of the alternative drainage suggestion, although the
drainage element is likely to be in the order of £1m and could secure the existing regime for
a longer period.

19. According to the result of the economic appraisal, the options which suggested remedial
works to Undercliff Drive together with minor works to the existing inland route rather than
the construction of bypasses for Niton or Whitwell gave the highest Benefit Cost Ration
(BCR) of 1.861 with estimated total scheme cost of £4.051 million at 2009 prices. Although a
significant improvement on the previous scheme option to retain Undercliff Drive on the
current alignment, this falls significantly short of the minimum BCR of 2.0 which has most
recently been required by the government to establish a case for significant investments in
major schemes

20. The council would not be able to fund this work from existing budgets and given the low
BCR and reductions in spending department budgets made by the government in the
Comprehensive Spending Review, there is no likelihood of achieving government funding for
this scheme. This puts a completely different emphasis on what is now realistically
achievable.

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21. The council can continue to maintain Undercliff Drive through a reactive maintenance
approach and if Undercliff Drive fails would need to change local route signing and put in
place necessary diversions to formalise Ventnor Road and Kemming Road as the strategic
route. This would cost in the order of £50,000 and in these circumstances the cost of any
works will have to be met from the councils existing budgets.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

22. For as long as the vulnerable sections of Undercliff Drive remain in existence the council will
need to carry out highway maintenance in accordance with its statutory duties as highway
authority. This will include repair and maintenance to the extent that this can be carried out
within the physical limits of the highway and any supporting structures. However, this would
not include works necessary to stabilise the surrounding land which forms part of the
landslip; works to resolve the underlying movement problems attributable to groundwater
seepage through the landslip area; or works to ensure that access to private property is
retained.

23. It is likely that over time Undercliff Drive will become progressively less safe for use by
vehicular and non-vehicular users as the carriageway becomes distorted and/or further
sections collapse. The council will therefore need to consider the future of the route and how
to manage this risk.

24. Should a section or sections of the road be lost the council will need to close the road to
prevent hazard to users and others.

25. Clearly the loss or severance of the road will cause some inconvenience to properties which
depend upon it for access, but sooner or later the point will come when it is not feasible to
maintain the existing road.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

26. Using the consultation data and other evidence, an equality impact assessment has been
carried out to consider the impact any decision may have on the local community and those
who visit the area. This assessment is included as Appendix 2 to this report,

OPTIONS

27. In its current condition the life of Undercliff Drive is limited in the short-to medium-term. The
road is severely damaged in four locations and in need of engineering remedial works. Any
works will however have an attendant cost.

28. The options available are therefore as follows:

Option (a) – Undertake remedial works to Undercliff Drive together with minor works to the
existing inland route

Option (b) – Further Investigate the scope for drainage to improve the stability of the
Undercliff .

Option (c) - Continue the existing maintenance regime and divert traffic inland if the road
fails.

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Option (a) – Undertake remedial works to Undercliff Drive together with minor works to the existing
inland route

29. Four locations on the Undercliff Drive were identified in need of remedial works in order to
maintain the serviceability of Undercliff Drive in its current condition. This work would
address the local stability problems and maintain the Undercliff Drive for as long as
practicably possible.

30. In taking forward the detailed designs for the traffic signal controlled junctions in the villages
it would be important to design a signal layout and junction configuration that:

• Takes full account of the needs of local shops and services for parking and deliveries
and seeks to minimise the overall loss of on-street parking and deals with the
potential effect of displacement;

• Seeks to achieve a solution (e.g. through detailed consideration of appropriate signal

phasing’s / timings) that minimises any potential rat-running impacts, speeding or
queuing; and:

• Minimises the visual impact of signals (for example by rationalising required posts
and street furniture).

Option (b) – Further Investigate the scope for drainage to improve the stability of the Undercliff .

31. This would involve the drilling of a number of horizontal boreholes at specific locations
across the area. This is theoretically sound but so far untested science. One of the
boreholes drilled at sea as part of the Seaclean Wight project unwittingly struck this layer,
releasing a plume of fresh water into the sea. The hole was quickly plugged, but the event
does act to support this idea.

32. Further work involving the drilling of test holes would be necessary to prove this theory
although if successful this could help stabilise the area. The anticipated cost of this would be
in the region of £1m and If successful this would help to drain and ultimately stabilise the
area. This theory could be tested by the drilling of a test hole at a cost in the order of
£5,000.

Option (c) Maintain the existing maintenance regime and divert traffic inland if the road fails.

33. Under this scenario the council would continue its patch and mend approach using existing
funds and close the road at appropriate locations when it fails, so as to reduce as far as
possible the likelihood of loss of access to properties and businesses. It would also amend
the road signing in the area so as to divert unnecessary traffic away from the area and put in
measures to reduce traffic diverting through inappropriate roads.

34. In these circumstances the council would close the road at appropriate locations so as to
reduce as far as possible the likelihood of loss of access to properties and businesses. We
would also amend the road signing in the area so as to divert unnecessary traffic away from
the area and put in measures to reduce “rat running” through inappropriate roads. Although
this would not retain the Undercliff route in the longer term.

RISK MANAGEMENT

35. The overarching risk is clearly associated with the level of accessibility which would be
retained for properties and businesses over the longer term if Undercliff Drive fails. At an

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 average of only around 1000 vehicle movements each day on this route, this reduction in
accessibility, while significant to those individuals affected, has a relatively limited impact.

36. Option (a) although offering long term solutions, represents a very high risk of incurring
abortive costs in terms of developing a case to try and secure government funding due to
the high cost, low benefit ratio and recent budget reductions.

37. Option (b) is untested and offers a high risk in both financial and reputational terms. The
notion has attracted support from a number of quarters although is unaffordable from
existing budget allocations and would not be eligible for government funding through the
existing mechanisms.

38. The risks associated with Option (c) that of maintaining the existing regime; represent a risk
in terms of potential loss of the existing highway, and the associated impact on the local
community and businesses. However the ongoing maintenance of the existing roads
represents a far smaller financial risk than the other options, an important factor when
considering options to spend money within an area of known instability and against a
backdrop of increased budget pressures.

EVALUATION

39. The options study used and updated previous studies to reaffirm the instability of the area
and highlight the poor condition of Undercliff Drive. It suggests a programme of remedial
works to help maintain Undercliff Drive as long as possible. This would however not have
overcome the deep seated issues and eventually the road will collapse and have to be
closed.

40. The study helps establish the existing use of the road and relatively limited impact in terms
of reduction in accessibility which would materialise should the route be lost.

41. The study identified a number of options to improve the inland route and included a set of
costings for a range of options including bypasses for the Niton and Whitwell and junction
improvements and traffic lights at strategic points. People commented that they felt that the
traffic currently flowed well for the majority of the time, with some suggesting that any short
term problems could be addressed through minor changes to help stop indiscriminate
parking at or near junctions.

42. Considerable objection was raised to improving the inland route and particularly the
installation of traffic lights, particularly in Niton. The reasoning behind the installation of
traffic signals which primarily relate to safety has been noted and the view taken that these
would not be necessary if the issue of illegal parking near the junction could be resolved by
other means.

43. Significant improvements to the inland route or interventions to stabilise the ground at
Undercliff Drive are beyond the scope of existing budget provisions and would necessitate
government support and funding. The BCRs associated with these schemes fall short of the
minimum requirements hitherto required to establish a case for government funding.

44. A number of changes have taken place since the report was prepared and a general election
has taken place. The incoming government has undertaken a comprehensive spending
review which significantly reduces the funding of spending departments and has removed
the bidding mechanisms for major schemes.

45. There is no budget provision for such a scheme or funding flexibility to meet such costs
whilst delivering the established priorities. Even if funding could be found given the low BCR
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 of the options to improve the inland route and limited reduction in accessibility which would
result from the closure of Undercliff Drive it would be difficult to justify taking such a scheme
forward given the council’s financial constraints.

RECOMMENDATION

46. Option c) to continue the existing maintenance regime and divert traffic inland if the road
fails.

APPENDICES ATTACHED

47. APPENDIX 1 – Consultation Mechanism

48. APPENDIX 2 – Equality Impact Assessment

BACKGROUND PAPERS

49. Ventnor to Niton Route Options Study – Route Options Appraisal Report (Halcrow - March
2010) www.iwight.com/council/what_is_a_council/Delegated_Powers/latestde.asp

50. Ventnor to Niton Route Options Study – Undercliff Drive Geotechnical Options Appraisal
Report (Halcrow - December 2009)
www.iwight.com/council/what_is_a_council/Delegated_Powers/latestde.asp

51. Ventnor to Niton Route Options Study – Environmental Scoping and Assessment Report
(Halcrow - January 2010)
www.iwight.com/council/what_is_a_council/Delegated_Powers/latestde.asp

52. Ventnor to Niton Route Option Study – Addendum to Geotechnical Options Appraisal –
Lowtherville Graben Report (Halcrow - January 2010)
www.iwight.com/council/what_is_a_council/Delegated_Powers/latestde.asp

53. Cabinet Report – 20 November 2007, Undercliff Drive A3055.

http://www.iwight.com/council/committees/cabinet/20-11-07/Paper%20H.pdf

Contact Point: Chris Wells, Transport Policy Manager

Tel: 01983 821000 x 5740 e-mail: chris.wells@iow.gov.uk

STUART LOVE COUNCILLOR EDWARD GILES

Director for Environment & Economy Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport &
Corporate Services

Decision

Signed

Date