Keith,
>>
>> Once again I write to you as leader of the council in order to express
>> concern. This is the matter which is to be discussed at Special Planning
>> tomorrow.
>>
>> I am forwarding copy mail correspondence with County Highways.
>>
>> This application is recommended for approval, but I am far from happy
>> with
>> it - mainly from a highway safety point of view.
>>
>> YOu will see that, during the rush hour, the site is expected to generate
>> 272 traffic movements in and 67 traffic movements out. This makes an
> average
>> of 6 vehicle movements in or out of the site every minute - and, of
> course,
>> these movements will not occur at a uniform rate over that 60 minute
> period.
>>
>> The Eden Camp junction is already heavily used - by farm and local
>> traffic
>> and by tourists to Eden Camp. The only other access is the narrow single
>> carriageway Ryton Rigg Road. Local people, like myself, who use this
> access
>> know just how difficult it is to get out of it onto the Pickering Road at
>> all non-peak hours of the year outside the holiday season.
>>
>> The site is expected to share access with Eden Camp, which is one of the
>> country's prime tourist locations. The access is close to the A64
>> intersection, where cars from the A64 drive downhill towards it at speed.
>> The access is along the road which provides the principal means of access
>> from the A64 to Flamingoland - one of the coutry's prime Theme Parks -
>> as
>> well as to the Showground, the graden centres, the town with its
> nationally
>> renowned steam railway, the North York Moors and the seaside resort of
>> Whitby. It is already a very busy road.
>>
>> Add to this an extra 6 vehicle movements in and out of Eden House Road
> every
>> minute, and it's not difficult to see what's going to happen.
>>
>> You will see that traffic counts were taken by County Highways on 18th
> July
>> and 27th September - during weekdays and outside the busiest time of the
>> year - namely the summer school holidays. So the quantity and scale of
>> holiday traffic has not even been taken into account.
>>
>> One might have thought that, in the circumstances not just County
>> Highways
>> and the Highways Agency but more importantly the developers themselves in
>> their own interest would have brought forward proposals for a
>> roundabout -
>> but no, the scheme does not include a roundabout and the officials aren't
>> asking for one.
>>
>> One wonders what is going on? Either the officials don't care or the
>> rules
>> under which they operate are so stupid that they can't justify what
> anybody
>> with any common sense would fully understand.
>>
>> If the scheme goes through, Ryedale will get the blame when the
>> complaints
>> and the accident statistics start rolling in.
>>
>> Is there anything you can do to stop this nonsense?
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Paul
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk>
>> To: "James Kennedy" <James.Kennedy@northyorks.gov.uk>
>> Sent: Friday, November 16, 2007 10:33 AM
>> Subject: Re: Development at Eden House Road
>>
>>
>> > James,
>> >
>> > Just to follow this matter a little further:
>> >
>> > I note what you say about the busiest hour.
>> >
>> > Can you let me have the answers to the following questions:
>> >
>> > 1. My understanding is that the project is intended to provide 800
> jobs -
>> > 400 in the first phase. Is the figure of 272 and 67 related to the 400
> of
>> > Phase I or the 800 of the whole development?
>> >
>> > 2. As regards the general situation, am I right in understanding that
> your
>> > position is that, in order to justify a roundabout, there has to be a
>> > prospect of 12,000 vehicle movements a day, but that you can only see
>> 8,000
>> > on the basis of the figures available to you?
>> >
>> > 3. Do these figures include the 272 and 67?
>> >
>> > 4. Is it correct that the figures you are using depend principally on
>> > traffic counts taken on 18th July and 27th September?
>> >
>> > 5. Can you let me have the numbers of traffic movements observed on the
>> road
>> > on those two days, and of the periods or hours during which those
>> > counts
>> > were taken?
>> >
>> > It would be very much appreciated if you could let me have this
>> information
>> > before Tuesday next week.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Councillor Paul Andrews
>> >
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "James Kennedy" <James.Kennedy@northyorks.gov.uk>
>> > To: "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk>
>> > Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:53 AM
>> > Subject: Re: Development at Eden House Road
>> >
>> >
>> > Councillor Andrews,
>> >
>> > I don't where a figure of 17 has come from.  The Transport Assessment
>> > submitted by the applicant has indicated that the busiest hour would be
>> the
>> > am peak with an estimate of 272 trips to the site and 67 leaving during
>> that
>> > single hour.
>> >
>> > These figures have been generated using the Trics database.  This
> database
>> > holds real survey data from existing sites for various types of
>> development.
>> > You then pick a number of sites with similar characteristics which give
>> you
>> > an average trip rate per square metre.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> > James.
>> >
>> > >>> "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk> 29/10/07 20:24 >>>
>> > James,
>> >
>> > I note you say "We have simply looked at the information provided by
>> > the
>> > applicant highway consultants and made our recommendation on this
>> > data."
> I
>> > understand the consultants said that the proposed new development would
>> only
>> > generate 17 new traffic movements daily. Can you tell me if that is
>> correct,
>> > and if the County Council accepted this?
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Councillor Paul Andrews
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "James Kennedy" <James.Kennedy@northyorks.gov.uk>
>> > To: "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk>
>> > Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 9:07 AM
>> > Subject: Re: Development at Eden House Road
>> >
>> >
>> > Councillor Andrews,
>> >
>> > I can see your point that there will be an increase in traffic flows on
>> the
>> > A169 during school holidays particularly with the nearby tourist
>> > attractions.  However looking at weekend traffic flows is not really
>> > appropriate, you would expect most of the potential businesses of the
> site
>> > to work Mon-Fri so there would be very little traffic associated with
> the
>> > site at weekends.  During the week for the school summer period traffic
>> > flows to the development are also likely to fall as you would expect
> many
>> > staff to take annual leave at that time of year.
>> >
>> > With regard to the traffic surveys these were taken in the second
> busiest
>> > month of the year and the flows used for the modelling are well above
> the
>> > average for the year.
>> >
>> > When making our judgement on a development you are right the cost of
>> various
>> > improvements is not a consideration for the County Council.  I have no
>> idea
>> > what costs the developer will face to develop this site.  I don't know
>> what
>> > the cost of a roundabout on the A169 would be or the cost implications
> of
>> > the other highway improvements that we have recommended should be
>> > implemented.  We have simply looked at the information provided by the
>> > applicant highway consultants and made our recommendation on this data.
>> >
>> > It will be for Ryedale DC to determine what requirements and conditions
>> > should be attached to any planning permission granted and then for the
>> > developer then to decide if the proposals are viable or not.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> > James.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > >>> "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk> 25/10/07 18:05 >>>
>> > I don't agree with you, James.
>> >
>> > Both your readings were taken outside the Summer holiday period and
> ignore
>> > three (or more) enormously popular tourist attractions which generate
>> > an
>> > enormous amount of traffic in the School holidays, particularly at
>> weekends:
>> > namely: Flamingoland, Eden Camp and the North York Moors Railway.
>> > Flamingoland is a recognised national tourist attraction which draws
>> > tourists from all over the country, particularly in the Summer school
>> > holiday weekends. Eden Camp is a well known regional attraction.In
>> addition,
>> > there is the Show Ground, which has a regular Sunday Car Boot Sale and
> is
>> > well known for steam vehicle rallies, and other activities - which tend
> to
>> > happen mainly in the School holidays. Eden Camp, Flamingfo land and the
>> Show
>> > Ground are all directly accessed from the road we are talking about.
>> >
>> > If you are getting readings of 8,000 vehicles outside the holiday
>> > period
>> and
>> > not at weekends, you can be sure that  the increase in the Summer
> holiday
>> > season and at weekends will almost certainly exceed 12,000.
>> >
>> > I am concerned about your statement that the development may not be
> viable
>> > if a roundabout has to be constructed. I am not against the
>> > development,
>> > provided there is a roundabout. If the provision of a roundabout is
> likely
>> > to make the development unviable, I do not see why County should give
> the
>> > develolpment the benefit of the doubt, if the result is to prejudice
>> highway
>> > safety.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Councillor Paul Andrews
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "James Kennedy" <James.Kennedy@northyorks.gov.uk>
>> > To: "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk>
>> > Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 4:14 PM
>> > Subject: Re: Development at Eden House Road
>> >
>> >
>> > Yes I would expect very different traffic flows between weekday and
>> > weekends, different peak times etc, but there is probably not much
>> variation
>> > in numbers of vehicles or speeds between Mon - Fri, although I don't
> have
>> > any figures showing this.
>> >
>> > The assessment of the existing junction arrangement has used the peak
>> > am
>> > hour which is when the development would generate the most trips.   So
>> > it
>> is
>> > almost the worst case scenario, the daily time when the site would get
> the
>> > most vehicles arriving and in using July also the time of the year when
>> the
>> > A169 is busy.
>> >
>> >
>> > James.
>> >
>> > >>> "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk> 08/10/07 11:58 >>>
>> > Thank you James,
>> >
>> > 27th September was, of course a Thursday and 18th July was a Wednesday.
> Is
>> > there not a difference between weekdays and weekends - particularly in
> the
>> > holdiday period?
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Paul
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "James Kennedy" <James.Kennedy@northyorks.gov.uk>
>> > To: "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk>
>> > Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 1:07 PM
>> > Subject: Re: Development at Eden House Road
>> >
>> >
>> > Councillor Andrews,
>> >
>> > The speed surveys were done by the applicants traffic consultants on
>> > the
>> 27
>> > Sept 2006, between 1 and 3 pm.
>> >
>> > For the A169 southbound, the average recorded speed was 45mph whilst
>> > northbound was 42mph.  Average speeds on Edenhouse Road were recorded
>> > as
>> > 22mph westbound and 30mph eastbound.
>> >
>> > Yes the Transport Assessment submitted with the application does accept
>> that
>> > July is only the second busiest month of the year.  So there is a
>> > slight
>> > increase in traffic flows during August but at the same time its also
> when
>> > people tend to take leave and holidays from work so presumably the
>> > would
>> be
>> > slight decrease in people working on the site, so less trips.
>> >
>> > Using mid July as the date to assess if the road network could cope
>> > with
>> the
>> > additional traffic does seem reasonable.
>> >
>> > I've checked the traffic flows on the A169, recorded over the whole of
>> 2006
>> > and the average daily flow is 11,225.  It does vary over the year from
> the
>> > lowest 8,500 in Jan to 14,700 in Aug.  The July figure is 13,600 and is
>> the
>> > second busiest month but perhaps more importantly well above the
>> > average
>> > flow.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> > James.
>> >
>> > >>> "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk> 05/10/07 11:49 >>>
>> > James,
>> >
>> > When were the speeds recorded? What times in the day?
>> >
>> > Incidentally, I don't accept that 18th July is the high season - aren't
>> some
>> > some schools still working then?
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Paul
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "James Kennedy" <James.Kennedy@northyorks.gov.uk>
>> > To: "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk>
>> > Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:38 PM
>> > Subject: Re: Development at Eden House Road
>> >
>> >
>> > The traffic surveys were done by the applicant on 18 July 2006, which
>> > is
>> the
>> > second busiest month of the year, so the analysis done by the applicant
> is
>> > fair as its based on a peak time.
>> >
>> > A roundabout would be a very expensive improvement to request, perhaps
>> even
>> > enough to make the development unviable.  The Highway Authority would
> have
>> > to be able to justify why its required and possibly defend such a
>> > recommendation at appeal.
>> >
>> > However the predicted traffic flows are nowhere near the level where a
>> > roundabout would normally be considered.  Visibility at the junction is
>> > excellent, there isn't a significant accident history and the speed of
>> > traffic past the site is not excessive, 85%ile recorded in the low 40's
>> mph.
>> > In addition there will be other highway improvements, an off road route
>> for
>> > pedestrians and cyclists to the site and some minor signing and lining
> on
>> > the A169 to warn motorists of the approaching junction.
>> >
>> > As mentioned previously the highway recommendation is only our opinion,
>> the
>> > decision on what should be provided if the development goes ahead does
>> rest
>> > with Ryedale DC and their councillors.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> > James.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > >>> "Paul Andrews" <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk> 04/10/07 11:31 >>>
>> > Does this take into account all the traffic to Eden Camp in summer?
>> >
>> > I have to say I know this junction very well, as I use it a lot. There
> is
>> > something very wrong if County cannot insist on a roundabout.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Paul Andrews
>> >
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "James Kennedy" <James.Kennedy@northyorks.gov.uk>
>> > To: <paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk>
>> > Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 10:33 AM
>> > Subject: Development at Eden House Road
>> >
>> >
>> > Councillor Andrews,
>> >
>> > The local traffic office has passed on your concerns regarding the
>> planning
>> > application for the above development which is being considered by the
>> > Transport and Development team at County Hall.
>> >
>> > Ryedale DC has consulted the Highway Authority and we will shortly be
>> > issuing our recommendation which has been based upon information
> provided
>> in
>> > the Transport Assessment submitted by the applicant.  However this is
> only
>> > our opinion and the decision to approve, refuse or condition the
>> application
>> > lies with Ryedale DC.
>> >
>> > There is no set answer on the type of junction required, it depends
>> > very
>> > much upon site characteristics.  There is national guidance in the form
> of
>> > the 'Design Manual for Roads and Bridges  DMRB' , which covers design
>> > standards for motorways and trunk roads.
>> >
>> > The advice given in DMRB is that "simple junctions are appropriate for
>> most
>> > minor junctions on single carriageway roads".  The example given is
> where
>> > the daily traffic flow on the major road does not exceed 13,000 and
> around
>> > 500 vehicles on the minor road.
>> >
>> > This falls in line with the existing situation, daily traffic flows on
> the
>> > A169 vary from 8000-12000 over the year, with very low flows on Eden
> House
>> > road.  Obviously this development would increase traffic on the minor
> road
>> > and therefore we need to consider if improvements are required.
>> >
>> > The likely number of trips to the site has been considered in the
>> Transport
>> > Assessment.  The am peak would be the busiest time, with an estimate of
>> 272
>> > trips to the site and 67 leaving.  The distribution of this traffic has
>> also
>> > been assessed with the modelling indicating that 70% of the traffic
>> > will
>> be
>> > via the A64, 18% from the B1257 and 12% from the A169.  Therefore the
> vast
>> > majority of trips to the site will be left turn from the A169 in the am
>> and
>> > right turn out of Eden House Road in the pm.  A modelling programme has
>> > assessed the existing junction with the additional traffic and this has
>> > shown it is adequate and would still operate below capacity.
>> >
>> > A roundabout would only normally be considered where daily traffic
>> > flows
>> on
>> > the minor road reach several thousand.
>> >
>> > There are various highway improvements recommended to accompany the
>> > development, these include provision of a footway and cycleway into Old
>> > Malton, widening of Eden House road, funding improvements to the
> existing
>> > bus services and a possible contribution towards strategic highway
>> > improvements in Malton.
>> >
>> > If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
>> >
>> > Regards
>> > James Kennedy
>> > Transport and Development.
>> >
>> >
>> > >>> Richard Marr 03/10/07 17:02 >>>
>> > James
>> >
>> > Please find below the RDC Councillor, Paul Andrews' e-mail address.
>> >
>> > I spoke to him last night and he is very concerned about the A169
>> junction.
>> > He said there will be 400 people working at the new site and can not
>> > see
>> why
>> > we can not insist on a roundabout. In fact he went on to say that if we
>> did
>> > not get a roundabout there, we would "be rubbish". I tried to explain
>> about
>> > the DfT guidance but had to stop as the main meeting started.
>> >
>> > I assume that if we follow guidance and do not recommend a roundabout,
>> > Ryedale DC can still add one to the planning consent if they want to.
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> >
>> > Richard
>> >
>> > paul@sail-apollo.fsnet.co.uk
>> >
>> >
>> >
>