S18

Policy S18 - Designation of Conservation Areas

the proposed level of development on the highway system. Essentially, the evidence demonstrated that the highway network could cope with the expected traffic growth up to 2026. The Strategic Links18 between the communities on the Island (the Centres referred to in the Spatial Strategy) are below.

Strategic Link Roads in the East

Highway Route
A1 Douglas to Peel
A2 Douglas to Laxey
A2 Laxey to Ramsey
A5 Douglas to Ballasalla
A18 Douglas to Ramsey

17 Chapter 11, Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016
18 Chapter 11, Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016

Douglas, as the Main Centre, sits at the top of the hierarchy of service provision and is home to most of the Island's principal businesses and shops. More 'strategic links' converge on Douglas than anywhere else on the Island. The public transport network consists of buses and seasonal rail services. Lord Street currently serves as the main bus transfer hub although during the lifetime of the plan the creation of a bus station may need to be addressed.

There is a short section of cycle route on Peel Road which is a strategic route in from the South and West. Further opportunities are still under investigation and are likely to develop further alongside other measures as part of the delivery of the Active Travel Action Plan19. The intention is to provide better and safer cycling and walking routes into and out of Douglas, better links between vehicular routes and off road routes with an overall policy goal of increasing the number of people travelling actively. The Area Plan fully supports the integration of the Active Travel Strategy into the sustainable development framework for the East.

Particular Issues in the East

Traffic Congestion and Road Junctions

The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 concluded that following junctions experience regular traffic congestion:

• Quarterbridge Junction
• Mountain Road/Governor's Road Junction
• Glencrutchery Road/Victoria Road Junction

The implications of adding the new housing units needed in the East to the road network during the plan period are set out in the Strategic Plan (see below):

1. the Strategic Links are, and should, continue to operate within their 3,060 vehicles per hour capacity for the duration of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (up to 2026);
2. the Quarterbridge and Governors Hill junctions will continue to operate at greater than 85% capacity and the increased traffic flows predicted in all the assessments will increase congestion at these locations; and
3. traffic flows at the Parliament Square junction in Ramsey, Ballacraine junction, and Main Road junction at Onchan are all set to increase by 2026 which will increase congestion at these locations.

Outside of the East Plan area, sensitivity tests were undertaken in the Strategic Plan based on the planned level of development from 2011 to 2026. These concluded that:

1. on the Ballacraine to Ramsey Strategic Link, there was no requirement to undertake further traffic congestion investigation work in rural village locations such as Kirk Michael; and
2. on the Castletown to Ballasalla and Ballasalla to Douglas links there would be the requirement for traffic congestion investigation work in Ballasalla in 2026.

19 GD 0043/18 Active Travel Strategy 2018 - 2021

From the outset of the preparation of this Plan, it has been acknowledged that the Onchan Main Road traffic signals would require further assessment. This would ensure that the junctions would not be subject to a high level of congestion as a result of additional development. This was just one reason for carrying out detailed scenario testing work looking at different ways of spreading development across the settlements in the East.

Network Capacity Issues - Roads and Utilities

During the early stages of the Plan, work was undertaken to help understand both the infrastructure and environmental implications of different growth distribution patterns within the East.

The servicing of Baldrine and Laxey for sewer and mains water supply were identified as matters of concern and limitation in capacity. This arises both from advice from the servicing Authority, Manx Utilities, and consideration of the public consultation responses. Levels of development in those two locations in terms of how they may or may not be able to be serviced and the timeframes involved were visited and re-visited throughout the plan stages and the Public Inquiry.

In terms of identifying and addressing network capacity, new development requires water and sewer services, electricity, telecommunications and legal access connection to the road network. These are reasonable expectations of modern society and ensure a basis of healthy and connected communities for all. All sites identified can in principle be adequately serviced. Some sites will have to address specific issues set out in Development Briefs. Judgements will always be made at the planning application stage as to what