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STOP! ALLIANCE BRIEFING on HGV TRAFFIC (draft) Date 22-11-08Increase in total A303 HGV TrafficDfT's Matrix database gives the annual average daily two-way traffic flows of all classes of vehicles on the A303 past Andover in 2007. Extrapolating by 2% to the Business Park opening year of 2009 these figures are: All vehicles 42015 HGVs 3109 (i.e. 7.4% of the total) The Business Park will generate 2000 daily HGV movements. With the routing agreements in place Goodman estimate that 65% of these will come/go east on the A303 and 35% west i.e. 1300 and 700 HGVs respectively. So with development 24hr HGV traffic on A303(E) = 4409 vehicles (i.e. an increase of 42%) 24hr HGV traffic on A303(W) = 3809 vehicles (i.e. an increase of 23%) Night HGV Traffic (11pm - 7am)Without development the total night two-way traffic flow on the A303 is 2101 vehicles. The HGV percentage is not broken down separately between day and night, but assuming the 7.4% figure applies at night, the best estimate of the current number of night HGV movements is155 vehicles. The Business Park will generate 511 night HGV movements, 332 (65%) going east and 179(35%) going west. i.e. with development night HGV traffic on A303(E) = 487 vehicles (an increase of 214%) night HGV traffic on A303(W) = 334 vehicles (an increase of 115%) It is unsurprising that there is such concern about the night noise implications. HGV RoutingThe rejection of the Solstice Park megashed proposals has come as a relief to many rural communities in the district that happen to straddle potential HGV routes. But are they still threatened by all day and night HGV traffic from Andover's 'Business Park'? HCC has drafted S106 conditions that effectively seek to confine the movement of HGVs to the A303 and A34. However, both Tesco and a group of food industry suppliers have written to TVBC and to the press arguing that these conditions should be relaxed and, in effect, reserving the right to use any A-road route that is shorter. Alternative A-road routes to west Southampton docks, depots and stores would be via A3057 (through Stockbridge and Romsey) via A343/A36 (through Wallop, Salisbury and Wellow) as well as being shorter, both would avoid the delays at the Winchester A34/M3 junction. An alternative and shorter route to the Bournemouth/Poole conurbation would be Via A343/A338 (through Wallop, Salisbury and Downton) Alternative and shorter A-road routes north would be via A343 (through Hurstbourne Tarrant, to reach A34 and Newbury) via A342/A338 (through Weyhill, Ludgershall & Marlborough, to reach Swindon and M4) Tesco have said that they would like to use this latter route in particular. Even if HCC stick to their intention to impose restrictive S106 conditions, there are significant legal doubts about whether it is feasible for Goodman to force Business Park tenants to force their suppliers, and the suppliers' subcontractors, and their drivers to sign up to such an agreement. Given the already published views of suppliers, it likely that they will appeal, with a fair chance of success, against any such S106 conditions as being infeasible and unreasonable. The only way of being certain of preventing day and night HGV traffic through these communities is to vote to reject Goodman's Business Park proposals.
STOP! ALLIANCE November 2008
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