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Transport, Access and Public Realm Strategy
In order to secure a 'step change' in Southend
Central Area to achieve a modern integrated and
accessible transport system that unlocks potential in
opportunity sites and secures sustainable
regeneration and growth, complemented by a quality,
inclusive public realm, the Council will:
- Work in partnership with the South East Local
Enterprise Partnership (SELEP)to deliver
investment and improvements to the strategic road
network and public realm, highlighting the importance
of the A127 strategic corridor to delivering economic
growth and housing, as set out in the Southend and
Essex A127 Corridor for Growth – An Economic
Plan(March 2014) .
- Continue the programme of public realm and access
improvements, including a continuation of the
Victoria's public realm improvement scheme at London
Road, Queensway (west) and Victoria Circus, Queensway
(east) (Policy PA4), Victoria Avenue
(Policy PA9), and the Central Seafront
Policy Area (including City Beach) (Policy CS1),
addressing the principles established by the
Southend Streetscape ManualSPD3.
- Continue to develop and support the cycle route
network, provision of secure cycle parking and work
with Cycle Southendin terms
of promotion, marketing, Bikeability and other travel
training, and the creation of cycle hubs.
- Seek to pedestrianise a number of the High
Street's inter-linking access/'stub' roads and reduce
the dominance of on-street parking and general
vehicle circulation, creating one-way streets and
20mph zones.
- Improve the environmental quality of existing
residential streets within the Central Area,
particularly those to the east of the High Street, to
create 'home zones' or pedestrian-priority areas that
improve access and encourage walking and cycling.
- Continue to implement a quality signage and
way-finding scheme for pedestrians and ensure that
travel information better relay details to road
users.
- Encourage the use of sustainable travel modes,
ensuring that all forms of transport are equally
accessible to all, through smarter choices techniques
(including the promotion of a Borough-wide Smart Card
ticketing system, and through the use of mobile phone
technology) and mobility management measures,
promoting opportunity for car sharing and the setting
up of car and van clubs.
- Maintain and build upon existing bus stop
improvements, real time information and bus
prioritisation at signals, as well as targeted
junction enhancements and highways improvement works.
- Improve public perceptions of safety within
Southend Central Area particularly at night, by
ensuring that street lights are maintained, CCTV is
obviously sited, and public transport and taxis
operate after dark to help secure a vibrant, safe
evening economy.
- Work with local bus operators to further improve
bus services to the town centre including evening and
night time services, providing a more reliable and
punctual bus service through the implementation of a
Punctuality Improvement Partnership (PiP), and
improvements to the Advanced Vehicle Local (AVL)
system
- Work with train operators to achieve high levels
of reliability and performance on all services,
maintain and promote contra-flow inter-peak services
for journeys to Southend, explore park and ride
opportunities that provide quick and convenient
access to the Town Centre and Central Seafront,
continue active participation in the development and
marketing of Station Travel Plans, and encourage
pedestrian and cycle links between Southend Central
and Southend Victoria Railway Stations and the Travel
Centre
- Work with taxi operators to improve the provision
for taxi's at key locations to support access.
- Work with stakeholders to develop the work of the
Ideas in Motionbrand to encourage
businesses, schools and colleges to implement managed
travel plans and introduce a personalised travel
planning service, and to support applications for
funding.
- Seek to develop a priority route towards
London Southend Airport, together with
corresponding junction improvements at A127 Victoria
Avenue/Fairfax Drive/East Street/Harcourt Avenue/
Great Eastern Avenue.
- Manage car parking demand within the Southend
Central Area network through a combination of
measures to support the vitality and viability of the
town centre and central seafront area; balance
parking supply between the car parks and development
sites north and south of the railway line; ensure
there is no net loss of public car parking south of
the central railway line.
- Improve access to car parks for vehicles and
pedestrians.
- Encourage an extension to the existing VMS
scheme, or updated technology, to improve information
about car parking capacity within town centre car
parks, direct drivers to the most convenient and
accessible car park, and avoid unnecessary
circulating traffic by improving access to town
centre car parks from Queensway dual carriageway.
- Ensure that servicing and delivery arrangements
meet the reasonable needs of businesses, and minimise
their environmental impact; working with the freight
industry and logistic to implement more efficient use
of vehicles in terms of guidance, zoning and delivery
timetables
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