Strang Road Union Mills

Summary

A request was made for correspondence regarding traffic and highway issues in Union Mills and Strang Road over five years, to which the Department of Infrastructure responded by disclosing all relevant information including letters about proposed road safety improvements and traffic management schemes.

Key Facts

• The Department of Infrastructure proposed reducing the speed limit on the A23 between Mount Rule and Strang to 40mph.
• Road narrowing and build-outs were selected over speed cushions to deter through traffic on Strang Road.
• Installation of the Strang Road traffic calming scheme was delayed due to a review requiring a temporary road closure for safety.
• The response included correspondence from 2016 regarding highway improvement works and traffic management.
• Concerns raised by residents and Mr Howard Quayle regarding vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety triggered the A23 study.

Data Disclosed

• 40mph
• 2017
• 30th August 2016
• 19th February 2016
• 25th July
• 4th March
• mid-March
• A23
• A1
• 36 pages
• 4 documents

Original Request

Please provide all correspondence from the Highway Division to local residents and the Braddan Parish Commissioners in respect of any traffic and or highway issues over the last 5 years; a) traveling through Union Mills Village b) Strang Road c) Hospital access d) Braddan Primary School; e) Development of Baddan Commissioners Community Centre, Strang Village

Data Tables (6)

Full Response Text

Appendix 1 Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF Dear Resident/Occupier Highway Improvement Works – A23 between Crosby and Strang This letter is to tell you about the Department’s proposed improvement works for the A23 (between Crosby and Strang). The improvement works has been undertaken in response to the concerns raised by residents and Mr Howard Quayle over vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety along the route. The Department has recently undertaken a study of the A23 to review road safety to identify and design necessary improvements to reduce risk to road users and increase the sense of place within the villages and settlements along the route. As a result of this study, the Department is proposing the following improvements: • Measures on Eyreton Road between Kermode Close and the A1 to reduce the risk to pedestrians and improve pedestrian amenity. • Village gateway features on Eyreton Road on the approach to Crosby. • Enhanced signing and lining at the bend at Eyreton Cottages. • Enhanced signing and lining at the bends at Little Mount and The Nab Farm. • Village gateway features on the approach to Mount Rule. • Provide speed restraint features within Mount Rule and measures to improve pedestrian amenity. • Reduce the speed limit on the A23 between Mount Rule and Strang to 40mph. • General improvements to traffic signs and road markings. The detailed design of the proposed improvements is currently being undertaken by the Department. Once the detail design stage is complete, plans will be distributed to residents for information. It is expected that the traffic and speed management works will be implemented in conjunction with the resurfacing works in early 2017. Yours sincerely Mr K Almond Network Planning Manager cc Mr Howard Quayle Resident/Occupier Contact: Kevin Almond Telephone: (01624) Email:
kevin.almond@gov.im Our Ref: KA Date: 30th August 2016 highway services bun-troggalys ~ shirveishyn raaidey Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF Dear Resident/Occupier Proposed Traffic Management Scheme – Strang Road The Department is intending to install a revised traffic management scheme (see accompanying plan) to reduce vehicular traffic speeds and deter unnecessary through traffic from using Strang Road. Before and after monitoring by the Department of vehicular traffic flows on Strang Road has shown that there has been an increase in vehicular speeds and daily through traffic after completion of the recent traffic management scheme.
This data, as well as observations from officers, residents and the public indicates that additional measures are required to mitigate the enhanced attractiveness of the route caused, in part, by the improvement in the ride quality of the carriageway. The Department has considered two alternative modifications to the current highway to deter to reduce vehicular speeds and unnecessary through traffic: a) installation of road narrowing measures and build outs on Strang Road between its junction with the A1 and its junction with Ballanawin; b) installation of speed cushions on Strang Road between its junction with the A1 and its junction with A1 and Ballanawin. The Department has chosen to implement scheme a). The combination of some road narrowing and build outs placed on the south east side of Strang Road is considered on balance to have a better combined speed reduction and deterrent effect on through traffic than speed cushions, especially on southeasterly bound traffic. Whilst build outs and road narrowing will minimise, as far as possible, impacts on bus ride quality. Installation works is expected to take place in mid-March. If you have any comments on this proposal, please email or send them in writing to me by the 4th March. Whilst we do not normally enter into individual correspondence on these consultations, all replies will be analysed and concerns addressed where practical. Yours sincerely Mr K Almond Network Planning Manager Encl. Resident/Occupier Strang Road Braddan Contact: Kevin Almond Telephone: (01624) 686672 Email:
kevin.almond@gov.im Our Ref: KA Date: 19th February 2016 highway services bun-troggalys ~ shirveishyn raaidey Dear Resident, Update on the proposed traffic management scheme – Strang Road The Department is writing to you to inform you that the proposed traffic calming scheme will not be installed today (25th July) as previously indicated. This is due to a review of the installation method. It was planned that Strang Road would remain open during the installation of the traffic calming features so as to minimise disruption to residents and road users. However, on review, it has been decided that to minimise the risk to Department staff and road users during the installation phase, the installation work will be undertaken under a temporary road closure. The installation of the traffic calming scheme will be rescheduled as soon as possible. However, available dates will be constrained by: the statutory process required to make the traffic regulation order for the temporary road closure; the upcoming Festival of Motoring; and the existing maintenance programme.
The Department will write to you as soon as possible once the new installation date known. The Department apologies for any inconvenience the delay may cause and thank you for your continued patience on this matter. Regards, Kevin Almond

Appendix 2 1 From: Colin Whiteway Sent: 26 October 2020 11:45 To: McCusker, Aidan Subject: Consultant Fees - Strang Corner Importance: High Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Completed Caution: This email is from an external sender. Please take care before opening any attachments or  following any links.   Hi Aidan,  I need to bottom this out before Thursday afternoon so that the Board can agree how much they need to loan.  Simply, the fee proposals were submitted when the project was first discussed and they based them on £4.9m build  costs.  The following were agreed and contracts signed:   4.86%   2.24%   1.8%   2.2%   0.48%  The project was designed and passed to the QS who calculated that it would actually cost £5.7m.  At that stage, the Board told them if they wished to put their fees up the project was effectively stopped, so     asked them all to cap them on a £5m build cost and they agreed.  We actually did a ve exercise in an attempt to save money, and actually we reduced the size of the building by 2m in  length, but rather than coming down in price, estimated it had stayed the same because of material costs.  It all went back to the consultants and hung on to it for 12 months no matter how much pressure    put on them.  By the time it went out to tender, the new build costs were £6.7m and has warned that they will probably all  ask for more fees, probably adding an extra £200k to the fees.  Obviously there has been some extra work, but nothing that would justify a major increase.  Can you urgently advise.  Thanks  Colin  Redacted Redacted Redact Reda Redacted Reda cted Redacted 2   J C Whiteway MBA  Clerk to Braddan Commissioners  Close Corran  Union Mills  Braddan  IM4 4LZ          WARNING: This email message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and may be subject to legal privilege. You must not copy or deliver it to any  other person or use the contents in any unauthorised manner without the express permission of the sender. If you are not the intended addressee of this e‐ mail, please delete it and notify the sender as soon as possible.  The views expressed in this email do not necessarily express the views of Braddan Parish Commissioners and are not to be relied upon without subsequent  written confirmation by the Clerk.  No employee or agent is authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of Braddan Parish Commissioners with any party by e‐mail without express  written confirmation by the Clerk of Braddan Parish Commissioners.   Please don't print this email unless you really need to    1 From: Colin Whiteway Colin@braddan.im Sent: 12 October 2020 14:26 To: McCusker Aidan Cc: Subject: FW: Strang Corner Attachments: 2020 10 (2) Cash Flow Forecast Strang Corner.xlsx; 2020 10 EXPENDITURE CALCULATIONS.xlsx; 2020 10 07 - Easy Quest Strang Cornerfield Questionnaire.pdf; 2020 09 25 Survey Questions-SCF - for printing - USE THIS ONE.pdf; 2020 09 24 - Survey Flyer - SCF.pdf; 1612 - New Commissioners Offices and Community Centre - Initial Tender Report.pdf; Strang Corner Field Business Case - October 2020.docx Caution: This email is from an external sender. Please take care before opening any attachments or  following any links.   Hi Aidan,  This has taken a long time coming, but its my first draft.  If its everything you need that would be great, but if there are areas I have missed, let me know.  I do struggle to fill all the areas of Central Governments Business Plan template, but I’m sure I’ve got all the right  things, just not in all the right places!   You may notice that we have calculated the scheme based on the full cost, without selling our building and without  removing the value engineering aspects.  We have also used 2% as the interest rate, and still this adds 32p on to the rate.  Reducing the interest rate has made the scheme very achievable.  Let me know  Colin  J C Whiteway MBA Clerk to Braddan Commissioners  Close Corran  Union Mills  Braddan  IM4 4LZ  2 WARNING: This email message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and may be subject to legal privilege. You must not copy or deliver it to any  other person or use the contents in any unauthorised manner without the express permission of the sender. If you are not the intended addressee of this e‐ mail, please delete it and notify the sender as soon as possible.  The views expressed in this email do not necessarily express the views of Braddan Parish Commissioners and are not to be relied upon without subsequent  written confirmation by the Clerk.  No employee or agent is authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of Braddan Parish Commissioners with any party by e‐mail without express  written confirmation by the Clerk of Braddan Parish Commissioners.   Please don't print this email unless you really need to  1 From: Colin Whiteway Colin@braddan.im Sent: 01 December 2020 09:53 To: McCusker, Aidan Cc: Subject: Petition Caution: This email is from an external sender. Please take care before opening any attachments or  following any links.   Hi Aidan,  I have spoken to the Chairman about managing the extra £42k issue.  They don’t want to add it to the loan which would further delay everything.  So they will meet that additional cost another way. It could be either from their reserves, next years budget or  removing an aspect of the project to the value of £42k which they will do later if money allows.  As part of the value engineering they identified a number of pieces of the contract that could be removed quite  easily.  They will discuss this with the contractor if the Petition is successful.  The loan is just to cover the construction costs and all the other expenses, consultants fees, building control costs,  site supervision etc etc will be funded from their reserves that have built up over the past 10 years and really  shouldn’t be at the level they are at.  Hope that’s ok.  Also they are getting more pressure from the contractor who wants to fix his prices with his suppliers.  Can I offer him any glimmer of hope?  Regards  Colin  J C Whiteway MBA Clerk to Braddan Commissioners  Close Corran  Union Mills  Braddan  IM4 4LZ  Redacted 2       WARNING: This email message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and may be subject to legal privilege. You must not copy or deliver it to any  other person or use the contents in any unauthorised manner without the express permission of the sender. If you are not the intended addressee of this e‐ mail, please delete it and notify the sender as soon as possible.  The views expressed in this email do not necessarily express the views of Braddan Parish Commissioners and are not to be relied upon without subsequent  written confirmation by the Clerk.  No employee or agent is authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of Braddan Parish Commissioners with any party by e‐mail without express  written confirmation by the Clerk of Braddan Parish Commissioners.   Please don't print this email unless you really need to    1 From: Colin Whiteway Colin@braddan.im Sent: 19 January 2021 16:02 To: McCusker, Aidan Subject: RE: Braddan commissioners Community Centre Caution: This email is from an external sender. Please take care before opening any attachments or  following any links.   Thanks Aidan, that’s helpful.  From: 

On Behalf Of McCusker, Aidan  Sent: 19 January 2021 15:38  To: Colin Whiteway Colin@braddan.im  Subject: RE: Braddan commissioners Community Centre  Hi Colin,  Having reviewed the letter on quick glance the request seems to be reasonable.  However, this is my opinion and how you wish to proceed is for the Commissioners to determine as I cannot advise you what decision to take.   Kind regards, Aidan  Aidan McCusker  BSc (Civil Engineering), GMICE  Head of Design   Highway Services  Department of Infrastructure  Sea Terminal  Douglas  Isle of Man IM1 2RF   Redacted From: Colin Whiteway  Sent: 18 January 2021 10:53  To: McCusker, Aidan < Subject: FW: Braddan commissioners Community Centre  Caution: This email is from an external sender. Please take care before opening any attachments or  following any links.  Hi Aidan,  Things are back on track now that we have our approval from the Department to proceed.  The Commissioners have received a request for additional fees from  , because a major redesign prior to going  out to tender.  I have received no requests from any of the other consultants, probably because their work hasn’t really changed  from the scheme that was £5.7m, but the Board are a bit wary of settling a precedent.  I think Capital Procedures all for these circumstances, but it seems that it relates to costs decreasing and  Government paying more fees than can be justified.  Can you offer any advice?  Regards  Colin   Redact d 3 1 From: McCusker, Aidan Sent: 01 September 2020 14:17 To: Colin Whiteway Subject: RE: Strang Corner No problem Colin. Give me a call Kind Regards Aidan Aidan McCusker  BSc (Civil Engineering), GMICE  Head of Design   Highway Services  Department of Infrastructure  Sea Terminal  Douglas  Isle of Man IM1 2RF   From: Colin Whiteway [mailto:Colin@braddan.im]
Sent: 27 August 2020 17:01 To: McCusker, Aidan Subject: RE: Strang Corner Caution: This email is from an external sender. Please take care before opening any attachments or  following any links.   Hi Aidan,  I’ll have to catch up with you then.  3 Caution: T

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