PL0247 - SLR4 Monitoring and Evaluation Report - AWARD

Description

Further Competition under Lot 5 Highways, Traffic and Transport of ESPO Framework 664_21.  
      
      The A4440 Southern Link Road was largely a single carriageway route that was subject to significant congestion and unreliable journey times. Long distance trips used the city center infrastructure to cross Worcester. The upgrade of the route from Whittington to Powick to dual-2 carriageway standard, with associated junction improvements, was assumed to significantly increase the attractiveness of the bypass route making it the route of choice for East West movements.
      
      Following the Department for Transport's (DfT) approval of Full Business Case for the £62.5m scheme on 1 March 2019, the works for delivering the scheme commenced on 4 March 2019. The Southern Link Road Improvements - Phase 4 (SLR4) scheme opened for road users in August 2022.
      
      As part of the SLR4 Full Business Case, a Benefits Plan was created to provide a strategy for assessing the scheme against the Objectives identified. The plan sets out the evaluation strategy for the SLR4 scheme, covering the monitoring of impacts and the approach to determining the projected benefits, impacts and objectives.
       
      Using the Department for Transport (DfT) Monitoring & Evaluation 2012 Guidance, it was established that the SLR4 scheme should follow guidance for 'Enhanced Monitoring" as well as some aspects of the "Fuller Monitoring" where appropriate.
      
      This tender requirement is to appoint a consultancy to undertake the Evaluation Report. The Evaluation Report will assess outcomes and impacts in line with the Benefits Realisation Plan, including qualitative measures. The evaluation plan outlined within this document is therefore considered fit for purpose without being financially onerous.  Furthermore, the evaluation strategy will help determine future transport strategies for the city.  This Evaluation report should also include analysis of wider economic impacts such as number of houses and jobs associated with the scheme, which will be monitored through qualitative stakeholder assessment and Development Application information from District Councils.