To discuss the implications of the traffic congestion at the A36 Tesco roundabout, and to identify potential solutions.
Representatives have been invited from the Highways Agency (who is responsible for the A36) and from Tesco Store management.
Minutes:
The Chairman set out the background to the item, commenting that congestion on this road was a long-standing problem and that serious concerns had been raised in relation to the knock-on effect of traffic backing up into the Tesco car-park. Following reports of traffic queuing for up to an hour to exit the Tesco car park on several occasions, concerns had been raised over safety issues. As such, the Area Board had invited representatives from the Highways Agency and from the Tesco store management, to consider and discuss potential solutions to the problem.
Richard Ormerod, from the Asset Development Team at the Highways Agency, explained that the Highways Agency was an executive agency of the Department for Transport and was responsible for maintaining the network of strategic routes such as motorways and trunk routes, which included the A36 Southampton Road. The priorities of the network was “reliability of travel”, rather than outright speed. Richard also noted the number of functions that the A36 served, including:
- national, strategic route linking Southampton and the south coast with Bristol and south Wales
- local route for commuters
- shoppers accessing the city centre
- shoppers accessing the large shops on the Southampton Road
- tourists
- businesses
- local buses and Park & Ride buses.
Richard considered that part of the cause of the congestion was the volume of traffic generated by these various functions in the relatively small space of the road, and the conflicting needs and solutions the different functions required.
The Chairman thanked Richard and invited questions and comments:
· It was noted that many people shopping at Tesco parked in the Staples car park opposite, to avoid the risk of getting stuck in the Tesco car park. Richard suggested that reconfiguring the minor roads linking to the roundabout might be an option to address this, and that the issue should be looked at in the whole.
· Another suggestion was the removal of the central barrier to allow limited and controlled right turns along the Southampton Road. It was hoped that this would reduce the amount of traffic which circulated at both the Tesco roundabout and the College roundabout for access. Richard noted that the barrier had been installed to reduce congestion and so any proposals to remove it should consider all potential impacts, as there may be unintended consequences.
· The option of a bypass was raised, as this had been considered and developed during the 1990s. However, the then government had turned down the scheme, and the current financial situation would make the costs prohibitive. In addition, it was noted than some of the land identified for the route was now being developed. In general, it was accepted that a bypass was extremely unlikely to be a viable solution, even in the long-term.
· Reference was also made to the cycle-lanes and footpaths, both of which were poorly used. It was suggested that the road could be widened to provide extra lanes. Richard added that road widening would probably require extensive Compulsory Purchase Orders, which would be possible but expensive. Also, converting the road to a dual carriageway would not solve the problem but would move the congestion up to the College roundabout.
· Martin Robeson spoke on behalf of the Salisbury Gateway development. The planning application for the proposed new Sainsburys supermarket on the south side of the Tesco roundabout had been submitted and registered, but not yet determined. Martin referred to the proposed integrated package of highways works totalling around £3 million which were proposed as part of the development. This included the removal of the barrier and the widening of access lanes as well as general improvements to the visual appearance such as new street furniture.
· Some members of the public, while supportive of the additional jobs which would result from a new supermarket, expressed concern over the additional traffic that would be generated, should the Salisbury Gateway development go ahead.
· Concern was also raised that any solution at the Southampton Road would only move the congestion to exacerbate existing traffic at the Harnham gyratory and the ring road to the north.
· Another suggestion was to sell the Central Car Park to Sainsburys for a larger store at its existing site, and to expand the car park to a larger multi-storey.
At this stage, the Chairman invited Andy Mccoll, Store Manager at the Tesco supermarket to comment.
Andy thanked the Area Board for holding the debate, adding that congestion in the car park was the single biggest customer complaint. He reported that a planning application was currently in the system for a widening of the road leading to the roundabout, and that discussions were on-going with Wiltshire Council Highways over this, although it was acknowledged that this would not fully address the issue. Tesco was also working with SALTMO (Salisbury Traffic Management Organisation) to identify solutions to the traffic congestion.
The Chairman invited further questions and comments:
· Andy confirmed that online shopping was a growing part of the market, but that even above predicted levels of growth it was unlikely to reduce the traffic visiting the store enough to address the issue of congestion.
· Tom Murray Willis from SALTMO commented that the organisation was working with all businesses on Southampton Road to encourage staff to use the Park & Ride, cycle routes and car share.
· It was suggested that a second exit from the Tesco car park could be provided to the eastern side of the site (towards the Petersfinger Park and Ride), for traffic exiting eastbound on the A36. Andy commented that this could be viable, and Councillors added that the Council may be able to help with any land ownership issues.
· Another suggestion was for traffic signals at the Tesco roundabout to prevent traffic exiting the supermarket car park from having priority over traffic travelling westbound on the A36. Richard commented that this would require a traffic survey.
· Other suggestions included traffic calming, visual displays to slow the traffic on approach, and temporary traffic lights at busy periods.
· Councillor Dick Tonge, Cabinet Member for Transport and Highways, commented that he would be pleased to liaise with the Highways Agency and Tesco regarding a potential additional exit through the Park & Ride site. He also referred to the Better Bus Partnership which was generating targeted investment in bus services to encourage use of buses and alleviate congestion.
· In response to a question, Richard explained that the Highways Agency’s “pinchpoint” budget was primarily for sites where congestion had limited business growth. The funding was also for implementation not scheme design, so a project would need to be in place and with all legal and land-ownership issues resolved.
The Chairman thanked everyone for their input into the debate and for the suggestions which had been put forward.
Decision
The Salisbury Area Board agreed to:
1. note the solutions which had been put forward;
2. request Wiltshire Council to work with Tesco in relation to the viability of a link road to allow exit through the Petersfinger Park & Ride; and
3. request that the Highways Agency notes and considers the solutions which had been suggested and come back to the Area Board with some viable solutions which could be implemented in the short term and also any long term options to address traffic congestion at the A36 Tesco Roundabout.
ACTION: Richard Ormerod