WestTrans Station Access Schemes
Approach, Lessons Learnt, Best Practice
Glenn Higgs & Lorna Sewell | 25 March 2010
Introduction

WestTrans Partnership

WestTrans Station Access Coordinator

WestTrans Station Access Programme

WestTrans Approach / lessons learnt
from Station Access schemes
 Step one’s
 Step two’s
 Step three’s

Summary – main messages
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
WestTrans Partnership
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
WestTrans Station Access Coordinator
 Station Access Coordinator since 2008
 Underspend of £400k for station access schemes in 07/08
 Day to day tasks include:
 Programme / risk management
 Design champion / project continuity
 Advice & assistance / problem solving
Strategic prioritisation of future station access schemes
 Undertake S1’s and S2’s
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
WestTrans Station Access Schemes
2009/10 budget: £450k – spent!
Schemes Implemented (Step 3)
 Hanwell Station, Ealing
 Castle Bar Park Station, Ealing
Schemes Developing (Step 2)
 Ravenscourt Park Station, H&F
 Eastcote Station, Hillingdon
 Northwick Park Station, Brent
 Rayners Lane Station, Harrow
Schemes Initiated (Step 1)
 Turnham Green Station, Hounslow
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
WestTrans Station Access
-Lessons Learnt
-and Best Practice
WestTrans Station Access | 25 March 2010
WestTrans Approach – Step One’s
ABS Guidance requirements
 Not a tick in box exercise
 Keep it simple
 Refer back to

Regulation,
guidance and data
collection
VISION
Aims and objectives
Step One
Timescales, risk
and funding
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Project team
WestTrans Approach – Step Two’s

From WestTrans experience:

Problems have arisen during the
following stages:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Project Management
Data Collection / review
Scheme options and appraisal
Consultation
Best practice measures put in place…
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
1. Best Practice - Project Management

Issues with changing project teams / resourcing

Seven measures:

Establish project team / clear project roles

Establish what skills are required – in-house?

Project trail / project continuity / handovers

Communication e.g. within the team (Highways), to
station access coordinator

Stakeholder consultation strategy

Timescales / work programme

Key milestones

Internal deadlines e.g. cabinet approvals

Implementation timescales / liaise with Highways

Risk Register
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Risk Register
CRUCIAL - A risk register is easy to dismiss as a chore



Bespoke
Considered
Peer/ongoing
review
WestTrans - Ravenscourt Park Station Access Risk
Assessment
Risk
Assessment
H
M
Potential Mitigation Measures
L
Financial
1. Cost of the scheme.
The scheme costs will be closely monitored during the design and construction stages of the
project, and a robust cost estimate produced with an appropriate level of contingency included.
Low
Statutory
1. Emergency services.
2. TMA Approval - Scheme and Works Notification.
3. Street Works Notification
4. Traffic Orders
Low
1. Emergency services will consulted with regard to the scheme proposals. Normal highway
design
standards
will
be
applied
to
the
design.
2. TMA notification will apply because King Street is on the SRN and adjacent to Ravenscourt
Road
and
Dalling
Road.
(2
months
notice
period
required)
3.
Street
works
notification
(3
months
notice
period
required)
4. Traffic orders will need to be advertised and explained to all stakeholders as to the benefits of
the changes.
Medium
1. All stakeholders will be informed of the scheme proposals via the following methods:
a. Informal consultation. - Initial discussions have taken place with the residents association of
the area and positive response has been received. However, two issues need to be addressed.
Further
discussions
will
take
place
in
due
course.
b. Formal consultation. - Will take place with all residents, Local Businesses, London
Underground and other interested parties, once Cabinet Members approve the scheme.
c. LUL - Lease agreements are currently being investigated to acquire land to widen the alleyway
between Ravenscourt Place and Dalling Road.
medium
1. Cabinet Members Approval will be sought once the scheme design is completed. A briefing
note has been sent to the Cabinet Member for an initial opinion on the preliminary design. A
positive response was received and further development of the scheme was encouraged.
2. The scheme costs will exceed £100k so this will require a Key Decision from leader of the
Council. This requires a 3 month lead-in period.
Low
The street works section will be fully informed of the programme and any potential clashed with
other schemes will be avoided.
Third Party
1. Stakeholders - Residents, Local Businesses, London
Underground and other interested parties.
a. Informal consultation.
b. Formal consultation.
c. LUL - Lease agreements.
Public/Political
1. Cabinet Members Approval.
2. Key Decision Required (Scheme worth over £100k) from
leader of the Council.
Programme
1. Clash with other programmed works in the area.
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
2. Best Practice - Data Collection
Main problems:
 Not undertaken
 Adhoc collection
 Poorly documented
 Best Practice:
 Tailor data collection to scheme
 Review data availability, e.g.:
 Previous studies
 Stakeholder knowledge
 Other important considerations:
 Attitude surveys / public realm

WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
3. Best Practice - Scheme Options/Appraisal

Three problems that compromise design/timescales:
 Over focused on one design option
 Lack of structured evaluation of options
 Default CAD use

Three approaches to assist:
1. Develop a range of options:
 High, medium and low intervention
2. Scheme appraisal - matrix
3. Preparing schematic/hand drawn plans
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Approach One: Range of Options
Why develop options?
 No one ‘answer’

Options show:
 cost range
 effectiveness of various alternatives

Design audit trail to justify actions and
decisions
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Approach Two: Matrix Evaluation

Evaluating scheme
options against
objectives

RAG system

Infer what the
preferred option may
be

Key tool to help you
make a decision/record
various factors
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Approach Three: Schematic Plans

Can save time
/ resources

Easy for
stakeholders
to appreciate

CAD drawings
can give the
message of
completeness
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
4. Best Practice - Consultation

Insufficient consideration of consultation
 Can lead to:
 Programme difficulties
 Design compromise
 Cost implications

Early consideration of consultation should include:
 Who the stakeholders are
 What they might say / mitigating measures
 What are their (internal) processes?
 When / how often should talk to them?
 Tailored consultation e.g. JIM
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Step Three’s

Robust work programme, risk assessment and costs

Final stage in the process

Internal / external approval should be confirmed
before this stage

Seamless handover to Highways
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Main Messages

Importance of setting vision, aims & objectives

Consider timescales, risk and project team at the beginning and
review throughout process

Communication – team and coordinator

Maintain a clear audit trail of the project

Tailor data collection and stakeholder engagement strategy

Consider scheme options and appraisal to help inform decision
making and defend actions

Consider using schematic, hand-drawn plans

Ensure seamless handover from scheme development to
implementation
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
LTN 1/08

Best practice relevant to all schemes

Generic principles coincide with the
best practice recorded when we
wrote LTN 1/08
Useful document!
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010
Any questions?
WestTrans Station Access| 25 March 2010