Maldon Local Development Plan · Maldon Local Development Plan Further Assessment of Impact of...

Maldon Local Development Plan

Further Assessment of Impact of Proposed Development Sites in Heybridge, and

South Maldon on Highway Network

November 2013

Prepared by: Brendan Johnston

County Hall Market Road Chelmsford Essex CM1 1QH

For: David Coleman

Maldon District Council

Council Offices Princes Road Maldon Essex CM9 5DL

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Maldon Local Development Plan

Assessment of Traffic Impact Report

ii

Document Control Sheet

Report Title Maldon Local Development Plan

CD Reference

Status Final

Revision 1

Control Date 14th November, 2013

Record of Issue

Issue Status Author Date Check Date Authorised Date

1 Final B Johnston Nov ‘13 M Young Nov ‘13 C Aarons Nov ‘13

Distribution

Organisation Contact Number of Copies

Maldon District Council David Coleman 1

Essex County Council Hannah Neve 1

Essex County Council Kevin Fraser 1

Essex County Council Matthew Bradley 1

Essex Highways Brendan Johnston 1

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Contents

1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background to Study ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Report Structure ............................................................................................................... 1

2 Development for Consideration ........................................................................................ 2

2.1 Development Proposal Details ......................................................................................... 2

3 Trip Generation ................................................................................................................ 4

3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 4 3.2 Trip Rates .......................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Trip Numbers .................................................................................................................... 5

4 Study Area and Considerations ......................................................................................... 7

4.1 Assessment Junctions ....................................................................................................... 7 4.2 Heybridge Link Road Scenarios ......................................................................................... 8

5 Highway Capacity Assessments in Maldon District .......................................................... 10

5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 10 5.2 B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach / Holloway Road Roundabout ..... 11 5.3 B1018 Heybridge Approach / A414 Roundabout ........................................................... 16 5.4 A414 / Fullbridge Roundabout........................................................................................ 17 5.5 B1018 The Causeway / The Square / B1022 The Street Roundabout ............................ 18 5.6 B1022 Colchester Road / B1026 Goldhanger Road Roundabout ................................... 19 5.7 A414 / Spital Road Roundabout ..................................................................................... 20 5.8 A414 / B1018 Limebrook Way Roundabout ................................................................... 21 5.9 Limebrook Way / Fambridge Road Roundabout ............................................................ 22 5.10 Limebrook Way / Mundon Road / Park Road ................................................................. 23 5.11 A414 Oak Corner Junction .............................................................................................. 24 5.12 Proposed A414 Wycke Hill Bypass .................................................................................. 27 5.13 Proposed A414 Bypass / South Maldon Development Access Junction (western end of bypass) ........................................................................................................................................ 29 5.14 Proposed A414 Bypass / Wycke Hill Junction (eastern end of bypass) .......................... 30 5.15 Impact of Potential Southern Link Road between B1010 Fambridge Road and A414 ... 31

6 Wider Impacts of Maldon District Development .............................................................. 33

6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 33 6.2 A414 / Little Baddow Road / Mayes Lane (Eves Corner), Danbury ................................ 33 6.3 A414 / A12 Interchange .................................................................................................. 34 6.4 B1019 Maldon Road / B1137 The Street, Hatfield Peverel ............................................ 35

7 Summary and Conclusions .............................................................................................. 38

7.1 Study Findings Summary ................................................................................................. 38 7.2 Concluding Comment ..................................................................................................... 41

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Figures Figure 1: MDC Preferred Development Allocations ................................................................... 3 Figure 2: Heybridge and Maldon Junction Assessment Locations ............................................... 7 Figure 3: Proposed Link Road Alignments (indicative) ............................................................... 9 Figure 4: A414 Oak Corner Junction Possible Mitigation .......................................................... 25 Figure 5: Indicative Alignment of Proposed A414 Wycke Hill Bypass ........................................ 27 Figure 6: MDC's Possible Alignments of Southern Link Road (housing figures now superseded) 31 Figure 7: B1019 Maldon Road / B1137 The Street, Hatfield Peverel ......................................... 36

Tables Table 3-1: Vehicle Trip Rates (per dwelling) for Heybridge and Maldon Housing Developments . 4 Table 3-2: Vehicle Trip Rates (per 100 sqm) for Maldon Employment Developments ................. 4 Table 3-3: Trip Numbers to / from Proposed Heybridge Housing Developments ........................ 5 Table 3-4: Trip Numbers to / from South Maldon Housing Developments ................................. 5 Table 3-5: New Trip Numbers to / from South Maldon Employment Developments .................. 5 Table 3-6: Change in Total Trips Predicted for South Maldon compared to May 2013 Study ....... 6 Table 5-1: B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach Roundabout Performance ........ 11 Table 5-2: B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach Roundabout Performance ........ 12 Table 5-3: B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach Roundabout Performance ........ 13 Table 5-4: Heybridge Link Road Assessment ........................................................................... 14 Table 5-5: B1018 Heybridge Approach / A414 Roundabout Performance................................. 16 Table 5-6: A414 / Fullbridge Roundabout Performance ........................................................... 17 Table 5-7: B1018 The Causeway / The Square / B1022 The Street Roundabout Performance ... 18 Table 5-8: B1022 Colchester Road / B1026 Goldhanger Road Roundabout Performance .......... 19 Table 5-9: A414 / Spital Road Roundabout Performance ......................................................... 20 Table 5-10: A414 / B1018 Limebrook Way Roundabout Performance ...................................... 21 Table 5-11: Limebrook Way / Fambridge Road Roundabout Performance ............................... 22 Table 5-12: Limebrook Way / Mundon Road / Park Road Roundabout Performance ................ 23 Table 5-13: A414 Oak Corner Junction Performance ............................................................... 24 Table 5-14: A414 Oak Corner Roundabout Performance with Mitigation (indicative) ............... 26 Table 5-15: Proposed A414 Bypass / South Maldon Development Access Roundabout Performance (west of Limebrook Way Roundabout) (indicative) ............................................. 29 Table 5-16: Proposed A414 Bypass / Wycke Hill Junction Performance (indicative) .................. 30 Table 5-17: Proposed A414 Bypass / South Maldon Development Access with Southern Link Road ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Table 6-1: A12 Offslip Maximum Queue Lengths (metres and pcus), June 2013 ....................... 34 Table 6-2: B1137 The Street / B1019 Maldon Road Junction Performance ............................... 35 Table 7-1: Preliminary Costs for Junction Improvements and New Schemes in Heybridge / Maldon Area (excluding wider impacts) ................................................................................. 40

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1 Introduction

1.1 Background to Study

Essex County Council (ECC) and Maldon District Council (MDC) have been working together to

progress MDC’s Local Development Plan (LDP) towards the submission stage. To this end, Essex

Highways (EH) recently provided a report (May 2013) on the potential impact on the highway

network of 1,000 dwellings in Heybridge, 1,250 dwellings in South Maldon and 900 dwellings in

Burnham-on-Crouch. This was followed by a supplementary report in June 2013 which considered

the accommodation of an additional 700 dwellings plus accompanying link roads in various

locations across Maldon district. The report also reviewed the potential impact of the proposed

developments on the wider highway network, i.e. in Chelmsford City Council and Braintree District

Council areas. These two pieces of work followed on from an earlier report in December 2010

(produced by Mouchel plc) which provided similar evidence.

Having considered the above reports, MDC have now identified their preferred development

scenario. This includes the provision of a total 2,830 dwellings across Heybridge and Maldon, plus

5 hectares of employment. This report considers the implications of these latest proposals on the

highway network, both in and around Heybridge and Maldon, and at key locations in neighbouring

districts.

1.2 Report Structure

Following this introductory section, Section 2 summarises the latest development proposals, before

Section 3 considers the impact of MDC’s new baseline housing and employment scenarios for

Heybridge and South Maldon in terms of trip generation. Section 4 then highlights the area of study,

Section 5 details the impact of the proposed developments on the local highway network, Section

6 reports on their assessed impact at sensitive locations on the wider highway network, and Section

7 concludes with comment on the study findings and a summary of the main points.

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2 Development for Consideration

2.1 Development Proposal Details

MDC’s preferred development scenario, as identified in the MDC Preferred Options drawing dated

11th July 2013 (cf. Figure 1 overleaf), is for the following development allocations in the Heybridge

and Maldon area:

Heybridge

900 total dwellings on land at north Heybridge; and

100 dwellings on land adjacent to Scraley Road.

South Maldon

450 dwellings on land at Wycke Hill North (north and west of the A414);

120 dwellings on land at Wycke Hill South (south of the A414);

1,140 dwellings on land east of the A414 and south of Limebrook Way; and

120 dwellings off Park Drive.

Figure 1 highlights MDC’s site locations within the context of the wider Maldon district and which

are the subject of this study.

Lastly, it has been indicated by MDC that 5 hectares (ha) of employment land is also planned for

South Maldon; B1, B2 and B8 land uses have been identified, with a 70% light industry and 30%

office use split for the B1 usage. Following consultation with MDC, 0.5 ha has been assumed for the

Wycke Hill North site and 4.5 ha for the Wycke Hill South site.

In the absence of more detailed information, it has been assumed that the employment land use

areas on the Wycke Hill South site are evenly split between the three types (B1, B2 and B8), and for

Wycke Hill South the assumption is 50:50 for B1 and B2.

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Figure 1: MDC Preferred Development Allocations

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3 Trip Generation

3.1 Introduction

Trip numbers for the proposed developments have been have been obtained from the TRICS (Trip

Rate Information Computer System) database. TRICS is a database of traffic surveys for various

types of development and is managed by JMP Consultants Ltd. It is the standard transport planning

industry tool for quantifying the level of trip generation expected for proposed developments. It is

widely used by both developers and local highway authorities in putting together and assessing

planning applications respectively. N.B. Details of trip distribution and assignment are included in

Section 3.5 of both the December 2010 and May 2013 studies.

3.2 Trip Rates

The trip rates used in this evaluation are consistent with those used in the previous studies

referenced in Section 1.1. It is re-iterated that these are average trip rates (rather than the

commonly-used 85th percentile rates) as it has been assumed that any development would be

expected to be accompanied by a comprehensive package of sustainable transport measures, such

as new or improved public transport services and facilities, connections to the local pedestrian and

cycle networks, the promotion of Smarter Choices and a detailed travel plan to encourage the use

of non-car modes of travel.

Tables 3.1 and 3.2 show the arrival and departure rates for both housing and employment land uses

respectively.

Housing Type AM Peak PM Peak

ARR DEP ARR DEP

Flats Rented 0.063 0.125 0.122 0.091

Flats Privately owned 0.045 0.179 0.149 0.069

Houses Rented 0.129 0.235 0.270 0.172

Houses Privately owned 0.157 0.457 0.401 0.235

Table 3-1: Vehicle Trip Rates (per dwelling) for Heybridge and Maldon Housing Developments

Employment Type AM Peak PM Peak

ARR DEP ARR DEP

B1 Office/Light Industry 2.198 0.274 0.307 1.925

B2 General Industrial 0.678 0.260 0.096 0.541

B8 Storage/Distribution 0.413 0.174 0.148 0.391

Table 3-2: Vehicle Trip Rates (per 100 sqm) for Maldon Employment Developments

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3.3 Trip Numbers

Based on the above trip rates, Table 3.3 details the expected trip numbers to / from Heybridge. N.B.

These figures are the same as the May 2013 study as the Heybridge housing allocation remains

unchanged.


ARR DEP ARR DEP

Flats Rented 4 9 8 6

Flats Privately Owned 10 40 33 15

Houses Rented 20 38 43 28

Houses Privately Owned 86 252 220 129

Total 120 339 304 178

Table 3-3: Trip Numbers to / from Proposed Heybridge Housing Developments

Table 3.4 shows the expected AM and PM peak hour trips for the housing aspect of the latest

development proposals in South Maldon, i.e. 1,830 dwellings.


ARR DEP ARR DEP

Flats Rented 8 15 15 11

Flats Privately Owned 19 74 61 28

Houses Rented 38 69 79 50

Houses Privately Owned 158 460 404 237

Total 223 618 559 326

Table 3-4: Trip Numbers to / from South Maldon Housing Developments

Table 3.5 demonstrates the predicted trip numbers for the 5 ha of employment land, using the land

use area assumptions as set out in Section 2.

Employment Type AM Peak PM Peak

ARR DEP ARR DEP

B1 Office/Light Industry 66 8 9 58

B2 General Industrial 97 37 14 78

B8 Storage/Distribution 31 13 11 29

Total 194 58 34 165

Table 3-5: New Trip Numbers to / from South Maldon Employment Developments

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The latest proposals for the employment and increased housing allocation in South Maldon lead to

much higher trip numbers compared to the May 2013 study. Table 3-6 shows the changes in

expected arrivals and departures. Their overall impact, in terms of highway capacity, is considered

in Section 5.

AM Peak PM Peak

ARR DEP ARR DEP

May 2013 Study Proposals

152 421 382 222

MDC’s Preferred Option Proposals

417 676 593 491

Difference +265 +255 +211 +269

Table 3-6: Change in Total Trips Predicted for South Maldon compared to May 2013 Study

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4 Study Area and Considerations

4.1 Assessment Junctions

In assessing previous development allocations, the following junctions in the Heybridge and Maldon

area have been assessed for capacity:

B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach;

A414 / B1018 Heybridge Approach;

A414 / B1018 The Causeway / Fullbridge;

B1018 The Causeway / The Square / B1022 The Street;

B1022 Colchester Road / B1026 Goldhanger Road;

B1022 Colchester Road / Scraley Road / B1022 Broad Street Green Road;

A414 / Spital Road;

A414 Maldon Road / A414 Wycke Hill / Wycke Hill Business Park Access / B1018 Limebrook

Way;

B1018 Limebrook Way / B1010 Fambridge Road;

Limebrook Way / Mundon Road / Park Drive; and

A414 Chelmsford Road / A414 Maldon Road / B1010 Burnham Road / B1418 Southend

Road (Oak Corner Roundabout).

Figure 2 shows the location of each of these junctions.

Figure 2: Heybridge and Maldon Junction Assessment Locations

© Crown Copyright All Rights Reserved 100019602 2013

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Although not located in Maldon District area, three further junctions have been considered in this

study. They are:

A414 Eves Corner junction in Danbury;

A414 / A12 intersection; and

B1019 / B1137 junction in Hatfield Peverel.

Due to the absence of sufficient data, these junctions have not received the same level of

assessment as the Heybridge and Maldon junctions. Their future performance is nevertheless

discussed in Section 6.

4.2 Heybridge Link Road Scenarios

Both December 2010 and May 2013 studies concluded that a link road in Heybridge was necessary

to serve the development and act as a bypass to the central area. Three potential alignments have

been put forward for consideration and each is assessed in this study. They are shown in Figure 3

overleaf and are as follows:

Option A – Outer Link Road (shown in blue). This option connects Broad Street Green Road

to a roundabout junction approximately 200m to the north-east of the existing B1019

Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach roundabout. This option allows the

straightening of the B1019 Langford Road immediately east of the former railway bridge to

replace the existing right-hand bend for eastbound traffic;

Option B – Inner Link Road (shown in purple). Consistent with the alignment considered in

previous studies, this links Broad Street Green Road to an improved junction where

Maypole Road meets Langford Road / Holloway Road; and

Option C – Middle Link Road (shown in green). A proposal to connect Broad Street Green

Road directly to the existing B1019 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach roundabout

via a fourth entry arm on the north side of the junction.

Of the junctions listed in Section 4.1, only one is affected by the various link road option

configurations, ie the B1019 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach roundabout. For this

junction, therefore, Section 5 includes three different assessments to represent the differing impact

of each of the link road scenarios; for all other junctions only one assessment is required. It should

be noted that the Maypole Road / Holloway Road / Langford Road junction has not been evaluated

in this study.

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Figure 3: Proposed Link Road Alignments (indicative)


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5 Highway Capacity Assessments in Maldon District

5.1 Introduction

As with the May 2013 study, the junction assessments have been carried out using the Transport

Research Laboratory’s (TRL) Junctions8 software programme. Junction performance outputs

include a Ratio of Flow to Capacity (RFC). To reiterate, where the RFC value is greater than 1.0 then

the approach is said to have exceeded its theoretical capacity as the number of vehicles arriving at

the junction are more than it can accommodate. As such, any approach with an RFC above 1.0

would be expected to suffer from significant vehicle queues and delays. However, for existing

junctions, an RFC of between 0.90 and 1.0 is an indication that an approach has reached its practical

capacity and that vehicles will experience greater unreliability and increasing delay and congestion.

Any arm with an RFC of less than 0.90 is usually considered to be operating satisfactorily.

For ease of reference, and to be consistent with the May 2013 study, the tables in the following

sections have been colour-coded. Any junction arm with an RFC of more than 1.0 is therefore shown

in red, RFCs of 0.90 to 1.00 are shown in amber, whilst green represents anything less than 0.90.

The tables also provide an indication of the level of queuing likely to take place on each arm. These

are shown in passenger car units (PCUs*).

Each of the following junction assessments sets out the results for the current Base Year

performance, the 2026 Background Traffic scenario, the May 2013 study scenario for 2026 with

1,000 dwellings in Heybridge and 1,250 dwellings in South Maldon and, lastly, the latest Local Plan

development proposals for 2026. N.B. It does not include details of the B1022 Colchester Road /

Scraley Road / B1022 Broad Street Green Road junction (the previous study identified no capacity

concerns at this location and this study has confirmed those findings)

* PCU is a general term used to quantify all vehicles on the road; a car or van = 1.0 PCUs, a medium goods

vehicle = 1.5 PCUs and a heavy goods vehicle = 2.0 PCUs.

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5.2 B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach / Holloway Road Roundabout

Forecast traffic flows at this junction vary depending on which of the link roads is assumed to be in

place. Consequently, three different assessments are reported.

5.2.1 Option A – Outer Link Road Alignment

Table 5-1 below shows the performance of the junction in 2026 on completion of Heybridge and

South Maldon developments (MDC’s Preferred Option) against Base Year, 2026 Background Traffic

and May 2013 study scenarios. N.B. In the May 2013 study, the ‘Link Road’ arm was used as an

access to a small portion of the proposed Heybridge development, hence the fact that some earlier

assessment results are shown.

Base Year 2026 Background

Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals

RFC Q

Length RFC

Q

Length RFC

Q

Length RFC

Q

Length

AM Peak

Langford Road East 0.55 1 0.64 2 0.90 8 0.75 3

Heybridge Approach 0.55 1 0.63 2 0.79 4 0.89 8

Langford Road West 0.42 1 0.47 1 0.57 1 0.89 7

Link Road N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.04 0 N/A N/A

PM Peak





Table 5-1: B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach Roundabout Performance Link Road Option A

The results show that in the AM peak period the junction is expected to operate satisfactorily, but

the additional development in South Maldon is anticipated to push the junction marginally over-

capacity on the Langford Road West arm in the PM peak period. However, this link road option

layout means that Hatfield Peverel-bound Heybridge development traffic does not need to

negotiate the junction and, therefore, the impact on it is slightly less than for the other two options.

In terms of mitigation, a minor widening of the entry width of the Langford Road West arm should

ensure that the junction would operate just within capacity (on the assumption that the angle of

deflection is not compromised significantly). An updated (November 2013) preliminary estimate

has indicated a cost of approximately £150,000 to provide this mitigation measure.

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5.2.2 Option B – Inner Link Road Alignment

Table 5-2 shows the performance of this junction following the proposed development in 2026.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals

RFC Q

Length RFC

Q

Length RFC

Q

Length RFC

Q

Length

AM Peak





PM Peak





Table 5-2: B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach Roundabout Performance Link Road Option B

As with Option A, during the AM peak period the junction is expected to operate satisfactorily in

2026 with the proposed developments in Heybridge and South Maldon. However, as with Option

A, during the PM peak period the Langford Road West arm is expected to exceed capacity as a result

of the additional development in South Maldon.

It is considered that a minor increase of the entry width of the Langford Road West arm could bring

the junction to within acceptable limits, provided that a suitable angle of deflection is retained.

Similar to Option A, an updated (November 2013) preliminary estimate for this mitigation measure

indicates a cost of approximately £150,000.

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5.2.3 Option C – Middle Link Road Alignment

Table 5-3 shows the results of the junction modelling in this scenario.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals

RFC Q

Length RFC

Q

Length RFC

Q

Length RFC

Q

Length

AM Peak




Link Road N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.04 0 0.61 2

PM Peak




Link Road N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.04 0 0.44 1

Table 5-3: B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach Roundabout Performance Link Road Option C

The results show that, as with the other two layout options, the junction is expected to operate

satisfactorily in the AM peak. However, during the PM peak, not only would the Langford Road

West approach arm exceed its capacity, but this would also be expected to occur on the Heybridge

Approach arm.

In terms of mitigation, a widening of the entry widths on both of these arms would be expected to

offset these issues as long as suitable angles of deflection are retained. An updated (November

2013) preliminary estimate has indicated a cost of approximately £290,000 for this mitigation.

However, it should be added that a recent site visit by an EH engineer has indicated that an

improvement on the Heybridge Approach arm could be awkward due to ground level differences.

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5.2.4 Heybridge Link Road Assessment

The principles of the relief road are that it should be fit for purpose and function as a bypass. There

should be an appropriate speed limit (to be confirmed as per appropriate design standards and the

overall speed strategy for the area) and access points to the development should be limited (one

at Maypole Road and one other). Where the road traverses Maypole Road, a roundabout could be

constructed with the southern arm of Maypole Road being closed to general traffic with access for

buses, cyclists and pedestrians only. This would stop any `rat running’ along this route and onto the

Heybridge network, and also provide priority measures for sustainable transport. It is important

that the alignment of the relief road should be tight to the development boundary and any

community and service facilities should be provided within the development and the boundary of

the link road so that there is no need for pedestrians or cyclists to cross the bypass.

EH and ECC have conducted a review of the three link road options based on the scheme cost, the

attraction of the route as a bypass, junction capacity, road safety aspects, land availability, the

possibility of a public transport link at Maypole Road, the subsequent mitigation required at

Langford Road / Heybridge Approach roundabout, and the potential for any further development.

Consideration has also been given to the potential for the relief road to assist in addressing the

strategic drainage and local flooding issues at North Heybridge. This will be considered further

through future partnership working involving the relevant key partners.

Using the above criteria as a base for assessment, Table 5-4 ranks each link road option against each

other by level of preference (green = preferred, amber = next best and red = least preferred).

Key Considerations Inner Middle Outer

Scheme Cost†

Attraction as Bypass

Junction Capacity

Road Safety

Land Availability

Public Transport Link Possibility

Mitigation Cost

Increases Potential Future Developable Area

OVERALL

Table 5-4: Heybridge Link Road Assessment

† Preliminary cost estimates suggest that the Outer link road may cost in the region of £14.55 million, the Middle link road around £13.9 million and the Inner link road approximately £10.35 million.

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Table 5-4 indicates that the Outer link road is favoured over the other two options in that it most

readily delivers the key elements, and provides the best solution in terms of highway capacity

advantage. However, EH and ECC recommend that the Middle option should also be retained for

further consideration, and be explored further through the masterplanning process.

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5.3 B1018 Heybridge Approach / A414 Roundabout

As part of the December 2010 study, mitigation measures were identified for this junction. These

entailed the provision of unopposed slip lanes from Heybridge Approach to A414 East and A414

South to Heybridge Approach at a cost of approximately £3.0 million (updated estimate obtained

in November 2013). It has been assumed that these mitigation measures are in place in assessing

the latest Preferred Option proposals.

Table 5-5 compares the results of the latest development proposals with those from the May 2013

study, alongside the Base and 2026 Background Traffic scenario.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals

RFC Q Length RFC Q Length RFC Q Length RFC Q Length

AM Peak

A414 East 0.56 1 0.70 2 0.58 1 0.62 2

A414 South 0.65 2 0.81 4 0.58 1 0.59 1

B1018 Heybridge

Approach 0.69 2 0.84 5 0.84 5 0.92 9

PM Peak

A414 East 0.65 2 0.84 5 0.83 5 0.90 8

A414 South 0.75 3 0.91 9 0.57 1 0.60 1

B1018 Heybridge

Approach 0.57 1 0.68 2 0.67 2 0.72 2

Table 5-5: B1018 Heybridge Approach / A414 Roundabout Performance

The assessment indicates that the junction is expected to perform satisfactorily in both peak

periods in 2026 post development, with the proviso that the mitigation measures are in place.

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5.4 A414 / Fullbridge Roundabout

The May 2013 study indicated that no mitigation measures would be needed at this junction with

the original development proposals. Table 5-6 shows the results of the modelling with the updated

development proposals.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

B1018 The Causeway 0.71 2 0.65 2 0.90 8 0.89 7

Fullbridge 0.46 1 0.56 1 0.54 1 0.55 1

A414 West 0.61 2 0.76 3 0.78 3 0.87 6

PM Peak

B1018 The Causeway 0.55 1 0.66 2 0.67 2 0.68 2

Fullbridge 0.69 2 0.83 5 0.87 6 0.89 7

A414 West 0.57 1 0.80 4 0.81 4 0.81 4

Table 5-6: A414 / Fullbridge Roundabout Performance The results confirm that the junction would continue to operate satisfactorily in both peak periods

in 2026. The similarity in the results is due to the fact that only a limited number of trips associated

with the updated development proposals in South Maldon would route via this junction.

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5.5 B1018 The Causeway / The Square / B1022 The Street Roundabout

Both the December 2010 and the May 2013 studies indicated that this junction would come under

significant pressure in 2026 before any development traffic is added to the network. However, it

was shown that, despite congestion issues, a ‘nil detriment’ scenario could be achieved at the

junction if a Heybridge link road is provided alongside 1,000 dwellings in Heybridge and 1,250

dwellings in South Maldon. Table 5-7 compares those results with the additional South Maldon

development proposals.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

B1022 The Street 1.00 27 1.19 137 1.17 120 1.18 128

B1018 The Causeway 0.67 2 0.75 3 0.71 2 0.70 2

The Square 0.28 0 0.33 1 0.32 0 0.32 0

PM Peak

B1022 The Street 0.65 2 0.74 3 0.71 2 0.71 2

B1018 The Causeway 1.06 50 1.29 200 1.26 173 1.25 167

The Square 0.51 1 0.58 1 0.54 1 0.55 1

Table 5-7: B1018 The Causeway / The Square / B1022 The Street Roundabout Performance

Like the A414 / Fullbridge junction, the results show only a limited change from the May 2013 study

due to the limited number of trips from the new South Maldon development proposals which would

be expected to route through the junction. Clearly there remains a concern about the level of

congestion on the B1022 The Street arm and B1018 The Causeway arm of the junction in the AM

and PM peak periods respectively. However, the proposed Heybridge link road should ensure that

a ‘nil detriment’ scenario can still be achieved against the 2026 Background Traffic scenario

following development.

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5.6 B1022 Colchester Road / B1026 Goldhanger Road Roundabout

Similar to the B1018 The Causeway / The Square / B1022 The Street roundabout, this junction was

shown in the previous studies to come under notable pressure in 2026 prior to any potential

development traffic being added to the network. However, despite congestion concerns, a ‘nil

detriment’ compared to the 2026 Background Traffic scenario would be expected to be achieved

with 1,000 dwellings in Heybridge and 1,250 dwellings in South Maldon if the Heybridge link road

is provided. Table 5-8 compares the new development proposals with those reported previously.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

B1026 Goldhanger

Road 0.89 7 1.12 39 1.06 28 1.08 32

B1022 Colchester

Road South 0.41 1 0.47 1 0.43 1 0.42 1

B1022 Colchester

Road North 0.86 6 1.02 26 0.95 12 0.96 13

PM Peak

B1026 Goldhanger

Road 0.42 1 0.48 1 0.47 1 0.47 1

B1022 Colchester

Road South 0.91 9 1.06 62 1.04 47 1.04 49

B1022 Colchester

Road North 0.63 2 0.75 3 0.69 2 0.68 2

Table 5-8: B1022 Colchester Road / B1026 Goldhanger Road Roundabout Performance

Again, the results show only a marginal change from the previous study due to few trips from the

additional South Maldon developments routeing through this section of the highway network. It

can therefore be concluded that, although congestion issues remain, a ‘nil detriment’ situation

compared to the 2026 Background Traffic scenario can still be achieved post development with the

proviso that a Heybridge link road is provided.

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5.7 A414 / Spital Road Roundabout

Mitigation measures were identified for this junction in the December 2010 study. This entailed the

provision of an unopposed slip lane from A414 South to A414 North and the widening of the A414

South exit arm at a cost in the region of £2.0 million (updated estimate obtained in November

2013). Consequently, the May 2013 study took this into consideration in modelling 1,000 dwellings

in Heybridge and 1,250 in South Maldon. Table 5-9 therefore assesses the junction’s performance

with the latest proposals compared to the previous findings, assuming that the mitigation measures

are in place.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

Spital Road 0.69 2 0.86 5 0.71 2 0.77 3

A414 South 0.80 4 0.95 14 0.28 0 0.31 0

A414 North 0.73 3 0.85 5 0.78 4 0.84 5

PM Peak

Spital Road 0.45 1 0.58 1 0.54 1 0.60 1

A414 South 0.92 9 1.08 77 0.31 0 0.32 0

A414 North 0.75 3 0.92 10 0.83 5 0.87 6

Table 5-9: A414 / Spital Road Roundabout Performance

The modelling results show that, provided mitigation is in place, the junction should operate

satisfactorily in 2026 in both peak periods when the latest South Maldon development proposals

are added to the network. The relatively limited impact of the latest development proposals can be

attributed to the fact that the majority of the additional South Maldon development trips are

westbound on the A414 and do not use the junction. Also, northbound trips from the South Maldon

developments benefit from the south to north slip lane detailed above and therefore would not

directly impact on the junction itself.

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5.8 A414 / B1018 Limebrook Way Roundabout

Mitigation measures were also identified for this junction in the December 2010 study. These

included the widening of the Limebrook Way and A414 west approaches to the junction and the

widening of the A414 North exit arm at an approximate overall cost of £900,000 (updated estimate

obtained in November 2013). The May 2013 study confirmed that, despite a possible realignment

of the A414 to bypass the junction, mitigation would still be necessary to accommodate the level

of development being proposed in South Maldon. Table 5-10 therefore assesses the impact of the

latest development proposals in South Maldon with mitigation in place and on the assumption that

an A414 bypass is provided.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

B1018 Limebrook

Way 1.02 29 1.27 133 0.88 7 0.90 8

A414 West 0.81 4 0.94 12 0.26 0 0.27 0

A414 North 0.77 3 0.91 9 0.35 1 0.35 1

Morrisons Access 0.28 0 0.34 1 0.23 0 0.23 0

PM Peak

B1018 Limebrook

Way 0.67 2 0.84 5 0.52 1 0.52 1

A414 West 1.01 28 1.24 147 0.49 1 0.51 1

A414 North 0.74 3 0.87 6 0.59 1 0.60 1

Morrisons Access 0.53 1 0.67 2 0.54 1 0.55 1

Table 5-10: A414 / B1018 Limebrook Way Roundabout Performance

The results show little difference to the May 2013 study and indicate that the junction should

operate satisfactorily in 2026 in both peak periods post development.

It should be noted that the previous study assumed that a total of 950 dwellings would access the

network via Limebrook Way, whereas the latest scenario includes only 860 dwellings in that

location. Furthermore, a large proportion of the latest development proposals’ trips would access

the A414 directly and therefore not use this particular junction. This explains why there is relatively

little impact on the junction with the latest development proposals assumed. Consequently, it can

be concluded that, providing the A414 bypass and the aforementioned mitigation is in place, the

performance of this junction should not be adversely affected by the most recent 2026

development scenario.

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5.9 Limebrook Way / Fambridge Road Roundabout

This junction, which is situated to the east of almost all of the latest development proposals, was

shown not to have any capacity concerns in the May 2013 study. Table 5-11 compares the impact

of the latest development proposals against the previous proposals and 2026 Background Traffic

scenario.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

Fambridge Rd North 0.27 0 0.31 0 0.33 0 0.36 1

Limebrook Way East 0.33 0 0.37 1 0.41 1 0.42 1

Fambridge Rd South 0.51 1 0.58 1 0.65 2 0.72 2

Limebrook Way West 0.37 1 0.41 1 0.45 1 0.46 1

PM Peak

Fambridge Rd North 0.31 0 0.36 1 0.41 1 0.41 1

Limebrook Way East 0.22 0 0.25 0 0.27 0 0.27 0

Fambridge Rd South 0.36 1 0.41 1 0.44 1 0.44 1

Limebrook Way West 0.60 1 0.67 2 0.76 3 0.79 4

Table 5-11: Limebrook Way / Fambridge Road Roundabout Performance

As would be expected given the easterly location of this junction, the modelling results confirm that

the performance of this junction is not expected to be an issue in either peak period in 2026 post

the latest development proposals.

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5.10 Limebrook Way / Mundon Road / Park Road

This junction is east of the Limebrook Way / Fambridge Road roundabout and consequently it was

similarly unaffected by the previous development proposals. Table 5-12 shows the results of the

latest proposals alongside the May 2013 and 2026 Background Traffic scenarios.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

Mundon Road North 0.13 0 0.15 0 0.15 0 0.15 0

Park Drive 0.15 0 0.18 0 0.25 0 0.23 0

Mundon Road South 0.21 0 0.23 0 0.24 0 0.24 0

Limebrook Way 0.14 0 0.16 0 0.16 0 0.16 0

PM Peak

Mundon Road North 0.12 0 0.13 0 0.14 0 0.14 0

Park Drive 0.24 0 0.27 0 0.28 0 0.28 0

Mundon Road South 0.16 0 0.18 0 0.18 0 0.18 0

Limebrook Way 0.26 0 0.29 0 0.32 0 0.31 0

Table 5-12: Limebrook Way / Mundon Road / Park Road Roundabout Performance

Once again, the results show that the latest development proposals should not have any adverse

impact on the operation of this junction in 2026 in either peak period.

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5.11 A414 Oak Corner Junction

5.11.1 Existing Junction Performance

Table 5-13 compares the results of the latest development proposals against the previous

proposals, plus Base Year and 2026 Background Traffic scenarios. The May 2013 study clearly

demonstrated that the previous development proposals would push the junction over capacity in

2026.


Traffic

2026 - May 2013

Study Proposals

2026 – MDC’s

Preferred Option

Proposals


AM Peak

A414 Chelmsford Rd 0.43 1 0.48 1 0.56 1 0.61 2

A414 Maldon Rd 0.70 2 0.78 3 1.04 49 1.12 108

B1010 Burnham Rd 0.65 2 0.80 4 1.23 41 1.21 42

B1418 Southend Rd 0.68 2 0.84 5 1.23 43 1.42 83

PM Peak

A414 Chelmsford Rd 0.75 3 0.86 6 1.16 97 1.22 150

A414 Maldon Rd 0.47 1 0.52 1 0.62 2 0.68 2

B1010 Burnham Rd 0.28 0 0.33 0 0.35 1 0.37 1

B1418 Southend Rd 0.79 4 0.94 10 1.43 116 1.63 179

Table 5-13: A414 Oak Corner Junction Performance

The model results confirm that latest development proposals lead to a further deterioration of this

junction in 2026 in both peak periods. It is therefore clear that, should development proposals

proceed, mitigation measures will be required in this location.

5.11.2 Possible Mitigation

The May 2013 study suggested that land may be available for mitigation at this junction. On the

assumption that it is available, EH have drawn up an indicative plan of how improvements could

lead to a more satisfactory junction performance. It should be emphasised that these

improvements have not been the subject of detailed design or safety audit. They are merely an

example of how the junction’s capacity could be improved. Figure 4 shows the potential upgrade.

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Figure 4: A414 Oak Corner Junction Possible Mitigation

A preliminary estimate for the above mitigation measure has indicated a cost of approximately

£900,000 (November 2013). Based on this mitigation, a junction assessment has been carried out.

Table 5-14 shows the proposed junction’s results compared to the existing junction in 2026 post

the latest development proposals.


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EXISTING JUNCTION – Post

Development

UPGRADED JUNCTION – Post

Development

RFC Q Length RFC Q Length

AM Peak

A414 Chelmsford Road 0.61 2 0.50 1

A414 Maldon Road 1.12 108 0.95 15

B1010 Burnham Road 1.21 42 0.83 4

B1418 Southend Road 1.42 83 0.65 2

PM Peak

A414 Chelmsford Road 1.22 150 0.98 18

A414 Maldon Road 0.68 2 0.59 1

B1010 Burnham Road 0.37 1 0.34 1

B1418 Southend Road 1.63 179 0.77 3

Table 5-14: A414 Oak Corner Roundabout Performance with Mitigation (indicative)

The results show that an improvement to the point where its performance would be reasonable is

possible at the junction. It should, however, be reiterated that the mitigation detailed above has

not been developed to the point of detailed design. It is also not necessarily the only possible

improvements, it may also be also feasible, for example, to add dedicated left turn slip lanes.

However, the mitigation shown above demonstrates how the junction could be developed and

improved to accommodate the additional demand from the proposed developments

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5.12 Proposed A414 Wycke Hill Bypass

Consistent with the proposed Heybridge link road, modelling has assumed that the bypass will be

a fit for purpose relief road which would become the new A414 route. Moving forward, the route

will need to have an appropriate speed limit (to be confirmed as per appropriate design standards

and the overall speed strategy for the area) and access points to the development should be limited

(preferably a single access point as any more would be detrimental to its use as a bypass and part

of the primary route network). Ideally, the preferred alignment of the bypass would be the outer

boundary of the development as this would negate the need for pedestrian crossing points

(adequate facilities should be provided within the development and the boundary of the bypass).

However, land constraints at the eastern end of the proposed bypass may necessitate routeing

through the central part of the currently-proposed development area. If the bypass is to be an outer

boundary as preferred therefore, the development land would be significantly reduced and,

consequently, it may be difficult to accommodate all 450 dwellings and 0.5ha of employment

designated for Wycke Hill North area.

Figure 5 shows the approximate alignment that has been considered within the Wycke Hill North

development area and the basis used for the traffic modelling.

Figure 5: Indicative Alignment of Proposed A414 Wycke Hill Bypass


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Whilst it is difficult to estimate the level of cost as the alignment has yet to be confirmed,

preliminary indications suggest it could be in the region of £8.0 million (figure updated in November

2013).

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5.13 Proposed A414 Bypass / South Maldon Development Access Junction (western end of bypass)

As detailed in the May 2013 study, the principal movement at this junction would be a north to

west movement in the AM peak period and vice-versa in the PM peak. This is based on the

assumption that A414 traffic would route via the proposed bypass and therefore avoid the

Limebrook Way junction. The May 2013 study also considered that a 40m diameter roundabout

junction would be necessary and require two lanes on both the entry and exit of the A414 western

arm. The other arms could potentially be single lane approaches, but would need to incorporate

suitable flares into the design.

However, the latest development proposals entail 424 additional trips through the junction in the

AM peak and 390 trips in the PM peak compared to the original proposals. Consequently, the

junction design has been adapted to cater for the latest development proposals’ trips. This

incorporates a two lane approach on the A414 Bypass North arm, a two lane exit on the A414 West

arm (to merge into one lane after approximately 100m) and a designated left turn slip lane for A414

West to A414 Bypass North movements. Based on these preliminary plans, Table 5-15 provides an

indication of potential junction performance.

2026 – MDC’s Preferred

Option Proposals

RFC Q Length

AM Peak

A414 Bypass North 0.61 2

Former A414 East 0.75 3

Site Access South 0.49 1

A414 West 0.32 0

PM Peak




A414 West 0.54 1

Table 5-15: Proposed A414 Bypass / South Maldon Development Access Roundabout Performance (west of Limebrook Way Roundabout) (indicative)

It should be reiterated that the above results are based on a preliminary design. Clearly any formal

proposals would require more detailed study. However, the assessment does provide an indication

of the type of junction that will be necessary to accommodate the level of development being

proposed and the existing traffic flows.

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5.14 Proposed A414 Bypass / Wycke Hill Junction (eastern end of bypass)

The May 2013 study considered a roundabout junction for the location where the proposed A414

bypass meets Wycke Hill. Modelling suggested this would not meet traffic demand satisfactorily

and therefore a signalised arrangement was assessed. However, there was a concern that a

signalised junction would restrict the free flow of traffic on the primary route network, so a new

roundabout junction layout has now been evaluated and is presented here.

In order to ensure reasonable junction operation, it has been necessary to position the proposed

roundabout slightly to the west of the north-south aligned Wycke Hill. This allows a designated

north to south slip lane along the existing carriageway. The proposed layout includes single lane

plus flare approaches on all three arms of the junction and requires two lane exits on both A414

arms. Based on those assumptions, Table 5-16 provides an indication of the level of performance

that could be expected.


Option Proposals

RFC Q Length

AM Peak

A414 North 0.68 2

Wycke Hill South 0.86 6

A414 Bypass West 0.79 4

PM Peak

A414 North 0.53 1

Wycke Hill South 0.62 2

A414 Bypass West 0.94 12

Table 5-16: Proposed A414 Bypass / Wycke Hill Junction Performance (indicative)

It is reiterated that the above assessment is based on a preliminary design. It has not yet been

formally designed and the deliverability and success of the junction will depend on the ability to

accommodate it within the available land. As indicated in the May 2013 report, this will need to be

negotiated with developers and will have an impact on the land area available for development.

However, the junction assessment results suggest that it is possible for a roundabout junction to

perform satisfactorily in both peak periods in 2026.

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5.15 Impact of Potential Southern Link Road between B1010 Fambridge Road and A414

The creation of this road has been considered as an option to relieve the pressure on Limebrook

Way as it would be a roughly parallel route and serve much of the proposed development in South

Maldon. Combined with the proposed A414 Bypass, a southern link road would effectively create a

new outer ring road for Maldon. Figure 6 shows two possible alignments that were drawn up by

MDC for consideration. Either option could cost up to £9.65 million (updated estimate in November

2013) to build, although clearly it is not possible to provide an accurate figure at this stage. There

is a question of deliverability of the scheme due to the presence of the nature reserve on its

alignment along the former railway line. N.B. The housing allocation numbers in the drawing have

since changed and should therefore be ignored.

Figure 6: MDC's Possible Alignments of Southern Link Road (housing figures now superseded)

In terms of highway capacity, reduced flows on Limebrook Way would improve the performance of

the existing A414 / Limebrook Way Roundabout. However, as shown in Section 5.8, this is not

currently a concern if the proposed A414 bypass is introduced. As such, a link road in this location

would not provide any significant improvement to highway network performance.

The transfer of trips from Limebrook Way to the new southern link road would, however, shift the

focus to the proposed A414 Bypass / South Maldon Development Access junction. Section 5.13

indicated the type of junction required to accommodate expected traffic flows in 2026 post

development. The addition of a southern link road would alter the dynamics of the junction as more

traffic would access the junction from the southern arm instead of the eastern arm. Given that the

junction assessed in Section 5.13 is unable to accommodate the additional flow on the southern

arm, it has been necessary to reassess it with improved access, ie with a two-lane approach.

Preliminary junction assessment results with the redistributed trips and the improved access from

the southern arm at the junction are shown in Table 5-17.

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Option Proposals

RFC Q Length

AM Peak




A414 West 0.33 1

PM Peak




A414 West 0.59 1

Table 5-17: Proposed A414 Bypass / South Maldon Development Access with Southern Link Road

The results show that the development proposals can be accommodated if a large enough junction

is provided. It is significant, however, that the introduction of a southern link road would

necessitate a larger, and therefore more expensive, junction than if Limebrook Way remains as the

main east-west thoroughfare.

The drawback of retaining Limebrook Way in its current form, i.e. a bypass with a national speed

limit, is that it would act as a barrier to the rest of Maldon from the proposed development. This

would be a concern when, for example, secondary school children need to access the nearby Plume

School (it is expected that a primary school will be provided on-site). Consequently, if the road is to

retain its current role, it would be necessary to provide safe connectivity between the town and

the development. Downgrading the road, introducing formal crossing facilities and / or a reduction

of the speed limit, are logical steps if a southern link road is developed. However, if it does not get

developed, such facilities could detract from Limebrook Way’s effectiveness as a bypass.

It should be noted that Limebrook Way’s status will not affect its interaction with the A414 junction.

This is calculated by the geometric dimensions of the roundabout and the traffic flows using it.

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6 Wider Impacts of Maldon District Development

6.1 Introduction

Under MDC’s duty to co-operate with neighbouring authorities, Chelmsford City Council (CCC) and

Braintree District Council (BDC) have raised concerns over the possible impact of the MDC proposals

on their areas.

Two locations have been identified as being of significant concern, namely the Eves Corner junction

in Danbury (A414 / Little Baddow Road / Mayes Lane) and B1019 Maldon Road / B1137 The Street

in Hatfield Peverel. The issue of the existing A12 junction with the A414 at Sandon has also been

raised and is considered in this section.

6.2 A414 / Little Baddow Road / Mayes Lane (Eves Corner), Danbury

This junction currently experiences notable delays in both peak periods. In particular, westbound

queues are prevalent in the AM peak and eastbound queues dominate the PM peak. It is reasonable

to assume that these queues are partially attributable to trips to / from the Maldon and Heybridge

area. Any further development is therefore likely to exacerbate this situation.

It has not been possible to formally model the junction as part of this study as no recent traffic data

is available. However, it has been assessed in the past as part of a 2004 study of the A414 corridor.

This included modelling of the junction using two different software packages; SIAS’ S-Paramics

microsimulation and TRL’s PICADY (for priority junctions). The result of that study led to plans to

install pre-signals on the two minor roads of the junction, Little Baddow Road and Mayes Lane. The

theory was that the signals would hold the minor road traffic back and ensure smoother passage

for the major route, i.e. the A414. This option would also have discouraged rat-running on the

neighbouring minor routes. However, these options were not progressed.

For this latest study a site visit was carried out by an Essex Highways engineer on Wednesday 18th

September, 2013 to assess the potential for any upgrade at the junction. It was concluded that the

land-take within the junction has already been maximised; the highway / footway cannot extend

any further due to the Heathcote School premises, newly-developed private residences and the

village green. Furthermore, as all four arms of the junction are existing bus routes, it would not be

possible to provide bus priority measures which accommodate all required movements.

The options to improve the junction are therefore limited. It would be possible to convert it into a

priority junction where the A414 becomes the main thoroughfare and the minor roads have to give

way. This was assessed in the 2004 study and would ensure much improved east:west throughput

compared to the existing situation. However, it would be detrimental to the minor road bus and

traffic movements and is therefore likely to be opposed by local residents.

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Given that Eves Corner is a key junction en route to the A12 and Chelmsford from Maldon district, it

is clear that more detailed study is required of the existing problems at the junction and the potential

impact of the proposed Heybridge and Maldon developments. Consequently, EH have recently

commissioned new traffic counts for the junction and these will be used to assess the current

situation and, if possible, identify any possible options for the junction. Details of this study will be

reported by EH in a subsequent technical note in the next two months.

6.3 A414 / A12 Interchange

As with Eves Corner, it has not been possible to carry out a formal junction assessment due to the

absence of any recent traffic data. However, EH has access to the Department for Transport’s

TrafficMaster data which can be used to estimate average peak period speeds and identify possible

traffic ‘hot spots’. Furthermore, as part of an agreement with the Highways Agency to monitor

demand at the junction, EH holds queue length data collected in June 2013 for the A12 slip roads.

The TrafficMaster data, which is contained in Appendix A, indicates that average speeds at the

junction do not fall below reasonable levels for a roundabout junction in either peak period. For

both eastbound and westbound traffic average speeds are shown to drop to no less than 20mph

through the junction.

In respect of queue lengths, Table 6-1 shows the observed maximum queue lengths in metres and

passenger car units on the A12 offslips across three days in June 2013. It should be noted that

average queues would be much lower.

AM Peak

PM Peak

Metres PCUs Metres PCUs

A12 Southbound 30 5.2 40 6.9

A12 Northbound 55 9.6 75 13.0

Table 6-1: A12 Offslip Maximum Queue Lengths (metres and pcus‡), June 2013

In conjunction with the TrafficMaster data, queue lengths are a useful indication of how well the

junction is performing. For most of the time, there are no queues at all which demonstrates that

the junction is currently operating satisfactorily and has spare capacity. Consequently, EH would

not expect the junction to be a concern following any proposed development in Heybridge and / or

Maldon. However, if circumstances change significantly and the junction starts to come under

pressure, there would appear to be scope for widened approaches or even left slip lanes on both

the A414 East arm and the A12 northbound offslip.

‡ Passenger car units are calculated by dividing the queue length in metres by 5.75.

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6.4 B1019 Maldon Road / B1137 The Street, Hatfield Peverel

The most recent data held by EH for this junction, which is currently a mini-roundabout, is from

October 2010. More recent traffic flows (March 2012) are contained within a Transport Assessment

entitled Proposed Development at Oval Park, Hatfield Road, Langford by Waterman Boreham Ltd,

March 2012. However, the raw data was not included in the document and therefore the slightly

older, but verifiable data has been used (it should be noted that the two data sources display close

similarities, indicating little change over the 18 months between them). N.B. As with Eves Corner in

Danbury, EH have commissioned a new traffic count for this junction and it will be studied to validate

the following findings. Full details will be included in a follow-up technical note.

With regard to the level of development traffic from Heybridge and South Maldon which would use

the junction, this has been based on information taken from the Waterman Boreham Transport

Assessment, where it is indicated that approximately 25% of trips use the B1018 Witham Road

instead of the B1019 towards Hatfield Peverel. It has therefore been assumed that the other 75%

use this junction and have been incorporated into the assessment based on the existing turning

proportions. This is considered to be a robust figure as, in reality, a number of trips are likely to be

‘lost’ to the minor roads between the B1018 Witham Road junction in Langford and the Hatfield

Peverel mini-roundabout.

Table 6-2 shows the results of this interim modelling of the junction for the base case and in 2026

post-development.

2010 Base Case


Option Proposals

RFC Q Length RFC Q Length

AM Peak

B1137 The Street East 0.63 2 0.75 3

B1019 Maldon Road 0.62 2 0.83 5

B1137 The Street West 0.63 2 0.76 3

PM Peak

B1137 The Street East 0.71 2 1.02 16

B1019 Maldon Road 0.45 1 0.59 1

B1137 The Street West 0.79 4 0.99 20

Table 6-2: B1137 The Street / B1019 Maldon Road Junction Performance

The results show that, whilst the AM peak junction performance is satisfactory in 2026, the PM

peak would be likely to experience some congestion on both B1137 The Street arms. Of these two

approaches, the greater concern is with the East arm where queuing beyond 30m could extend

onto the southbound A12 offslip. As Figure 7 shows, the A12 / B1137 diverge is approximately 200m

from the junction and the assessment indicates that queues could extend back for nearly half of

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this distance. It should, however, be emphasised that the assessment has used robust flows which

may have exaggerated the impact of the developments. This will be revisited once the latest survey

data is available.

Figure 7: B1019 Maldon Road / B1137 The Street, Hatfield Peverel

In terms of possible mitigation, the options at the junction are limited. It was upgraded from a

priority junction to a mini-roundabout a few years ago and this improved access from the B1019

Maldon Road arm. A recent site visit by an EH engineer concluded that land availability is minimal;

private residences and a pub have been developed to the back of the footway on all sides.

Signals would be the only option for improvement, but there is little space to accommodate them.

The footways are already below 1.4m at the junction which is too narrow for the posts to be

installed. Furthermore, HGVs turning south into Maldon Rd from the A12 southbound have

difficulty making the turn without considerable encroachment on to the opposing lane. The

provision of signals would worsen this situation as HGVs would be forced even wider to avoid

colliding with the signal equipment, and stoplines would have to be set back some distance.

As indicated above, there is only a short distance from this junction to the top of the sliproad from

the A12. Consequently, any signal timings would have to be designed to prevent queues extending

back towards the A12. This would clearly be detrimental to the other arms at the junction and

effectively negate any advantage that signals would bring to the junction.


Approx. 200m

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A new junction on the A12 could possibly alleviate potential future congestion problems at the

junction. This option has not been explored in detail, but would be likely to entail realigning the

existing B1019 Maldon Road to link with a junction between the B1389 southbound onslip and the

B1137 offslip at Hatfield Peverel. Preliminary estimations have put the cost of such plans at a

minimum of £40 million; this option has not been pursued.

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7 Summary and Conclusions

7.1 Study Findings Summary

This study has considered the impact on the highway network of 1,000 potential dwellings in

Heybridge, plus 1,830 dwellings and 5 hectares of employment land in South Maldon. It has also

given consideration to three different alignments for the proposed Heybridge link road. The

methodology for the study has remained consistent with that used in the December 2010 study by

Mouchel plc and EH’s work in May 2013 with regard to trip generation, assignment to the highway

network and capacity assessments.

The principal findings are summarised as follows:

Assessment of Heybridge Link Road

Outer, Inner and Middle link roads have been assessed. Having considered junction capacity, road

safety, land availability, the possibility for providing a public transport link and the cost of mitigating

the Langford Road / Heybridge Approach roundabout, EH and ECC recommend that the Outer and

Middle link roads should be retained for further consideration, and be explored further through the

masterplanning process.

Assessment of Existing Junctions in Maldon District

On the assumption that a new link road is provided in Heybridge and a new A414 Bypass developed

in South Maldon, the following junctions have been identified as performing satisfactorily in 2026

post the latest development proposals:

A414 / B1018 The Causeway / Fullbridge;

B1022 Colchester Road / Scraley Road / B1022 Broad Street Green Road;

B1018 Limebrook Way / B1010 Fambridge Road; and

Limebrook Way / Mundon Road / Park Drive.

Provided that the aforementioned new link road and bypass are in place and mitigation measures

are undertaken, the following junctions should perform satisfactorily:

B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach;

A414 / B1018 Heybridge Approach;

A414 / Spital Road;

A414 Maldon Road / A414 Wycke Hill / Wycke Hill Business Park Access / B1018 Limebrook

Way; and

A414 Chelmsford Road / A414 Maldon Road / B1010 Burnham Road / B1418 Southend

Road (Oak Corner Roundabout).

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The following junctions have been identified as operating above capacity in 2026 post

development. However, a ‘nil detriment’ situation can be achieved against the 2026 Background

Traffic scenario if a Heybridge link road is provided:

B1018 The Causeway / The Square / B1022 The Street; and

B1022 Colchester Road / B1026 Goldhanger Road.

Assessment of Proposed A414 Bypass, Associated Junctions and Southern Link Road in South

Maldon

The proposed A414 Bypass in South Maldon had been identified in previous studies as necessary in

order to accommodate both existing demand and proposed development traffic. However, its

introduction would require sizeable junctions to be provided at each end of the route. Negotiations

with developers will therefore be necessary regarding the level of land-take involved.

The proposed Southern Link Road will not have any material benefit to highway capacity and would

require a larger and more expensive junction with the A414. However, its introduction would allow

Limebrook Way to be downgraded from its existing national speed limit status. This would enable

improved and safer connectivity between the proposed development on the south side of

Limebrook Way and the rest of Maldon, which is a key consideration given the need to provide

secondary school children with safe access to the Plume School. A reduced speed limit and crossing

facilities would assist in achieving this.

However, as the Southern Link Road is not proposed as a required highway mitigation, it is

important that Limebrook Way’s function as a principal route with an appropriate speed limit is

retained. The current road not only operates as bypass on the south side of Maldon, but also serves

the wider highway network, in particular towards Burnham-on-Crouch and the Dengie peninsula.

In this scenario, consideration of the connectivity between the South Maldon development and

Maldon town centre and its facilities (including education) should be the subject of further review.

This process should include assessing the potential for utilising the existing green link associated

with the Wycke Hill Nature Reserve.

Assessment of Existing Junctions Outside Maldon District

Under MDC’s Duty to Co-operate with neighbouring authorities, Braintree District and Chelmsford

City Councils have raised concerns over the potential impact of the proposed developments on

three junctions in their areas. It has not been possible to model the junctions accurately at this

stage due to the absence of recent traffic data. However, the following junction is anticipated to

perform satisfactorily in 2026:

A414 / A12 Interchange.

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The following junctions are expected to experience some congestion in 2026. Consequently they

will be the subject of further study with the findings detailed in a separate technical note:

A414 / Little Baddow Road / Mayes Lane (Eves Corner), Danbury;

B1019 Maldon Road / B1137 The Street, Hatfield Peverel.

Estimate of Highway Improvement Costs

Table 7-1 shows preliminary costs that have been estimated for the various highways

improvements identified as necessary to accommodate 2026 traffic levels post LDP development

in Heybridge and Maldon. For completeness, it also includes the cost of upgrading the B1010

Maldon Road / B1021 Church Road in Burnham-on-Crouch as per EH’s earlier studies. It is stressed

that these are preliminary, indicative estimates. It should also be added that further costs may be

incurred for any improvements to the wider highway network, e.g. Eves Corner in Danbury.

Scheme Cost

B1018 Langford Road / B1018 Heybridge Approach £150,000 to £290,000§

A414 / B1018 Heybridge Approach £3.0 million

A414 / Spital Road £2.0 million

A414 Maldon Road / A414 Wycke Hill / Wycke Hill Business Park

Access / B1018 Limebrook Way £900,000

A414 Chelmsford Road / A414 Maldon Road / B1010 Burnham

Road / B1418 Southend Road (Oak Corner Roundabout) £900,000

Heybridge Link Road £10.35 million to £14.55 million‡

A414 Bypass £8.0 million

Southern Link Road £9.65 million

B1010 Maldon Road / B1021 Church Road, Burnham-on-Crouch £70,000

TOTAL £35.02 to £39.36 million

Table 7-1: Preliminary Costs for Junction Improvements and New Schemes in Heybridge / Maldon Area (excluding wider impacts)

§ Dependent on link road option adopted.

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All of the estimates detailed in the text of this report and shown in Table 7-1 are based on high level

drawings; more accurate costings can only be provided once designs become available.

All costs include:

An allowance for utilities diversions (note that there is no anticipated impact for the

Burnham-on-Crouch scheme);

40% risk allowance for Major Projects (more than £500, 000), 30% for Minor Works;

Design, surveys and contract administration; and

Landscaping and ecological measures (where required).

All costs exclude:

Land acquisition / Compulsory Purchase Orders;

Part 1 Claims;

Traffic Regulation Order processing, advertising and legal fees;

Consultation and publicity;

Essex CC Commissioning and administrative costs; and

Drainage attenuation structures.

Assumptions:

There are no special geotechnical requirements;

No quantified risk assessment has been made, therefore an assumption has been made

regarding risk (see notes above);

All pylons will remain in-situ; and

There are no special environmental issues / requirements.

The price base is 2013.

The costs represent the sum that ECC can be confident of delivering the scheme if procured via ECC

using traditional procurement methods. If a developer were to build some of the larger schemes,

the out-turn cost may be less due to not having to face the same risk factors and being able to

employ strategies such as design and build.

7.2 Concluding Comment

It is clear that the level of development being considered within MDC’s LDP will necessitate

significant upgrades to the local highway network and, potentially, in neighbouring districts.

However, this study demonstrates that, in the immediate Maldon and Heybridge area, it is possible

to mitigate against the impact of the proposed developments provided that funding and land is

made available. The potential for mitigating against the proposed developments in Danbury and

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Hatfield Peverel will be considered in a separate technical note when new data has been collected

and assessed.

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Appendices

Appendix A: DfT TrafficMaster Data for Maldon District – AM and PM Peak Hours .................. 45

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Appendix A: DfT TrafficMaster Data for Maldon District – AM and PM Peak Hours

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