Our planning application is based on all tunnel excavation arisings (spoil) from the Proposed Bowland and Marl Hill tunnels being transferred to Waddington Fell Quarry for use in the restoration of the quarry. Other construction waste materials that are unsuitable for use in the quarry will be transferred to licenced sites elsewhere via the proposed access routes, but these will be negligible in quantity in comparison.

We have tried to provide a more comprehensive breakdown as follows. These figures form the basis of the transport assessment that will be submitted as part of the planning applications. The figures show the predicted number of vehicle movements between the A59 and Slaidburn Road, north of Waddington. No movements of spoil are included in these numbers as these would occur outside of the village between the tunnelling sites and Waddington Fell Quarry.

The numbers provided are two-way movements i.e. outward and return journeys. The anticipated total construction vehicle movements between the A59 and Slaidburn Road, north of Waddington is circa.120,000. The approximate split of these movements is anticipated to be 60% heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and 40% light vehicles. Of the HGV movements (i.e. circa.72,000 vehicle movements) 90% (circa. 65,000) are anticipated to be below 3.5m in height such as articulated flatbed HGV’s etc. (i.e. able to pass beneath the railway bridge in Clitheroe). Vehicle movements are anticipated to occur over three broad periods;

A. enabling works (circa 12 months)

B. main construction (circa 42 months with a peak period of activity of 12 to 18 months when both tunnels are in progress)

C. commissioning/reinstatement (circa 35 months)

Indicative figures for each of these periods are summarised in the tables below.

The site working hours will be 07:00 – 19:00 Mon to Friday and 07:00 – 13:00 on Saturdays. We anticipate that during these hours HGV movements will occur for typically a total of 37.5 hours per week and light vehicle movements for a total of 12.5 hours per week. This is to allow for periods of restriction around busy times such as school drop off and collection. The numbers we have provided average out the movements across these hours. In practice, the vehicle movements may not be evenly distributed over the permitted movement hours and there may be periods of higher frequencies in the day (followed or preceded by quieter periods).

During the main construction phase when both tunnels are in progress this could occasionally be as high as 30 vehicle movements per hour. Over the full duration of the project the anticipated average predicted number of delivery movements between the A59 and Slaidburn Road is around 5 per hour (2 to 3 each way). This is based upon the total HGV movements, circa.72,000) and assumes a total project duration (including reinstatement works) of circa 376 weeks: 72,000/(376 x 37.5) = 5.1 vehicle movements per hour.

Light Vehicles:

HGV Vehicles below 3.5m high:

HGV Vehicles above 3.5m high:

Yes, we have considered this as part of our feasibility study. We believe avoiding the centre of the village is the preferable, which is one of the main reasons for the selection of the temporary haul route option presented on 11/01/21. A Construction Traffic Management Plan will be submitted to Ribble Valley Borough Council as part of the planning application and Lancashire County Council, in its capacity as Highway Authority, will review and comment on its contents.

The Construction Traffic Management Plan will consider issues such as the narrow roads in Waddington and the lack of footways in places. Outline mitigation measures will be identified and these may include traffic controls, speed restrictions and calming measures.

Yes, the quarry would only receive surplus material from the proposed Marl Hill and Bowland tunnel projects. This is the basis of the planning application being made by the quarry to receive the material.

Over the full duration of the project the anticipated average for deliveries is around 5 vehicles per hour (2 to 3 each way) through the north end of Waddington via Slaidburn Road. There will be an anticipated increase to the vehicle movements once all three compounds are operational, we anticipate this to be over a 12 – 18 month period with vehicle movements potentially increasing to a maximum of 30 vehicles per hour (15 each way) during this time.

We are not proposing any alterations at the Higher Buck junction of West Bradford Road and Slaidburn Road. We recognise the potential for congestion and the safety concerns at this location and the wider highways in and around Waddington. We are proposing that no construction vehicles will be permitted to travel through the village during peak times. Our planning application will include a holding area for large vehicles, which will allow us to control vehicles travelling to the site by enabling them to wait at this location during these periods.

Further details will be set out in the Construction Traffic Management Plan.

We recognise the potential for congestion and the safety concerns around the school and the highways in and around Waddington. We are proposing that no construction vehicles will be permitted during school drop off and pick up times.

We are anticipating an average tunnelling production rate of 25 metres per day.

We anticipate it may take around 6 months to construct the temporary access route over the River Ribble and it would be in place for the duration of the works, approximately 6 years. Removal would also take approximately 6 months with reinstatement of the affected areas taking place thereafter.

This has been a developing feasibility study which has been continually updated following each route investigation. We believe that the preferred route option represents the best solution, taking into account all factors considered as part of the feasibility study, and is the option we will be taking forward for further negotiation with affected landowners and tenants.

We do not believe that the option to bypass the north end of Waddington is feasible. This route would involve the removal of trees close to (and possibly through) an area designated as ancient woodland. Furthermore, owing to the topography along this route, construction would prove difficult. We recognise the potential for congestion and the safety concerns in Waddington and the roads around the village.

We are proposing that no construction vehicles will be permitted to travel through the village during school drop off and pick up times and additional mitigation measures such as traffic controls, speed restrictions, and calming measures may be required.

Yes.

The temporary construction road would be used for all construction traffic relating to the proposed Bowland and Marl Hill tunnel compounds located in the Ribble Valley.

We are proposing to include two options in the planning applications for the proposed Bowland and Marl Hill tunnels. One option will be to access the proposed compounds along the existing highway network, with general construction traffic travelling through Waddington and large vehicles, including those higher than 3.5m, accessing Slaidburn Road via Chatburn and along West Bradford Road.

The other option will be for all construction traffic to access the proposed compounds via the River Ribble crossing and along West Bradford Road to the north of Waddington. Further discussion and analysis during the planning application determination period, informed by representations made as part of the statutory consultation period, will inform the final decision.

Yes, we are not progressing with this route in our planning application.

We are developing a Construction Traffic Management Plan, which will be submitted to Ribble Valley Borough Council as part of the planning application. Where a risk of damage to properties is identified, a regime of inspection and monitoring will be put in place. The detailed measures required will be developed by the Contractor for the works prior to starting construction.

All comments received from the virtual exhibition, the public exhibition and from the discussions we have held with the parish council and the local community will inform the EIA and the planning application we put together. The planning application process involves a statutory period of consultation, during which members of the public will have the opportunity to review and comment on our proposals.

Yes the findings of the Environmental Impact Assessments will be reported in Environmental Statements, which will be made available for public consultation as part of the planning application process.

Air quality impact assessments have been undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Assessments. The air quality assessments consider a number of factors, including dust emissions during construction, exhaust emissions from road vehicles (e.g. cars, vans, buses and lorries) travelling to and from site during construction and exhaust emissions from electrical generation plant (i.e. diesel generators) during construction.

The findings of the Environmental Impact Assessments will be reported in the Environmental Statements, which will be made available for public consultation as part of the planning application process. Mitigation measures necessary to avoid, reduce or offset adverse effects will be detailed in a Construction Code of Practice, which will also be submitted in support of the planning applications.

Noise and vibration assessments form part of the Environmental Impact Assessments. The assessments consider the impacts on residential properties and other community assets in the areas adjacent to the proposed compounds and working areas. The assessments are informed by a list of plant and equipment likely to be required during construction, along with descriptions of the construction activities. The assessments also consider impacts associated with traffic movements on the local highway network and during construction of necessary highway improvement works.

The findings of the Environmental Impact Assessments will be reported in the Environmental Statements, which will be made available for public consultation as part of the planning application process. Mitigation measures necessary to avoid, reduce or offset adverse effects will be detailed in a Construction Code of Practice, which will also be submitted in support of the planning applications.

Impact on ground water sources will form part of the Environmental Impact Assessments. The findings of the Environmental Impact Assessments will be reported in the Environmental Statements. We will be liaising with affected landowners and tenants to set out our commitment to protecting their water supplies.

We will be submitting planning applications for the proposed developments in late Spring 2021. In advance of the planning applications being submitted, we will be updating the online virtual exhibition in order to clearly communicate the proposed works we will be seeking permission for. We will let you know in advance when this information becomes available. We will also continue to liaise with the Parish Council over the coming months.

No written response provided, a transcript of the response given at the public meeting will be made available here in due course.

The planning application for amendments to the approved restoration scheme for Waddington Fell Quarry to allow importation of material from the Proposed Bowland and Marl Hill tunnels was submitted by the quarry operator at the end of January. Lancashire County Council’s target for determination of applications for major development is within 13 weeks of valid receipt.

Our intention will be to maintain access along all Public Rights of Way impacted by the proposed works, either via a managed crossing point or a short distance temporary diversion, as appropriate. Details of such proposed measures will be included in the planning applications to be submitted to Ribble Valley Borough Council.

Please also refer to response below on “Linked to tree planting – what opportunities are there to enhance tree population, e.g. with die back resistant ash etc.” The proposed tunnels have been designed so as to operate by gravity flow, minimising carbon emissions associated with pumping. In addition, measures such as utilising surplus excavated arisings at Waddington Fell Quarry have the benefit of reducing carbon associated with tipper lorries travelling longer distances to reach material destination sites.

We will be stipulating that the Contractor shall work to support delivery of the commitments contained in United Utilities’ Environmental Policy and our procurement approach has been developed to encourage a reduction in energy use and CO2 emissions during the detailed contractor design, planning and construction phases. Our procurement approach also includes plans to measure, manage and minimise impacts.

As part of the planning application we will submit a Traffic Management Plan which will set out the basis for how vehicle movements will be undertaken safely. Moving vehicles in convoys is an option that has been discussed with Lancashire County Council Highways department, but it does present a logistical challenge and there may be an increased risk from drivers trying to overtake long convoys.

At present the use of convoys is not something we are specifying, but the traffic management plan will include the establishment of a community forum to ensure that any issues encountered by residents can be escalated and resolved in partnership with our Contractor and the Council.

We would welcome the opportunity to attend a regular Ribble Valley Borough Council Parish Council Liaison Committee meeting if desired. In addition, we will remain in close communication with local stakeholders, including Parish Councils and Ward Councillors and attend meetings as required.

We also propose to establish a community forum to ensure that any issues encountered by residents can be escalated and resolved in partnership with our Contractor, Ribble Valley Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.

We are committed to achieving a 10% net gain in biodiversity as a result of the proposed Programme of Works, in an aim to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than before. This would be achieved through reinstatement of the working area, with enhancement where practicable. We are developing proposals for additional offsetting on UU owned sites within the RVBC area.

Management would be put in place for 30 years post development and monitoring would be undertaken and reported to the planning authority. These proposals would include for the planting of native trees, in addition to the creation of other habitats impacted by the proposed works

We are aiming to submit two planning applications to Ribble Valley Borough Council, covering the three proposed compound sites and associated works in June 2021.

Prior to commencement of development (2023 at the earliest) the appointed contractor will be required to produce an emergency response plan. A Construction Environmental Management Plan would also be produced by the contractor to address the response to potential environmental incidents.

In the unlikely event that any insurance claims are made against United Utilities or our Contractors they would be assessed on a case by case basis.

The Proposed Marl Hill Tunnel would be launched from a proposed compound north of Waddington, which we are referring to as the Braddup Compound. All excavated arisings (spoil) would be brought to the surface at the launch site and, on this basis, the proposed route for haulage of surplus excavated arisings would be north on Slaidburn Road between the proposed compound access and the existing entrance to Waddington Fell Quarry (the destination site).

All queries in relation to the Proposed Programme of Works should be directed to [email protected] in the first instance and one of our team will get in touch. We will be publishing an update to our online exhibition site in the next month or two in order to provide clarity on the proposed scheme we will be seeking permission for and to explain how we have sought to take on board all the valuable comments we have received during the pre-application period.

There will also be a statutory period of consultation as part of the planning application process, wherein comments may be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for consideration. During construction, the contractor will employ a member of staff responsible for customer liaison. We also propose to establish of a community forum to ensure that any issues encountered by residents can be escalated and resolved in partnership with our Contractor, Ribble Valley Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.

The existing pipeline running between the existing Marl Hill and Haslingden tunnels would be unaffected and as such there are no works proposed between the Clitheroe and Hyndburn areas.

The majority of predicted vehicle movements along the proposed haulage routes would be associated with the delivery of materials to site. For example, this would include concrete rings to the line the Proposed Tunnels and stone and surfacing materials for temporary haul routes and compound areas. In addition, it will be necessary to deliver plant and personnel to the proposed compound sites.

We are seeking to limit the number of light vehicles along the local highway network by incorporating a temporary park and ride site, located opposite the Ribblesdale Cement Works.

We are preparing a Lighting Strategy to be submitted in support of our planning applications. The Lighting Strategy will set out measures to be adhered to by the Contractor undertaking the works in order to mitigate impacts on residential, ecological or landscape receptors. Such measures will include adopting the lowest safe lighting levels possible for task being undertaken, limiting the hours of lighting where practicable and controls over the specification and direction of lights to be used.

As per the earlier response, the existing pipeline running between the existing Marl Hill and Haslingden tunnels would be unaffected and as such there are no works proposed between the Clitheroe and Hyndburn areas.

Although constructed earlier than the Haweswater Aqueduct United Utilities has not identified any need in the foreseeable future for any rehabilitation works to that asset.

We will be submitting a Construction Traffic Management Plan in support of our planning applications, which will outline the measures we intend to adopt to minimise degradation of the local highway network as a result of our proposed works. Measures we will employ as a minimum include undertaking a pre-entry photographic survey of the haulage route(s) in order to provide a baseline against which post-construction reinstatement can be undertaken. We are liaising closely with the Highway Authority regarding the content of the Construction Traffic Management Plan.

We also propose to establish of a community forum to ensure that any issues encountered by residents can be escalated and resolved in partnership with our Contractor, Ribble Valley Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.

Our planning application is based on all surplus excavated material from the Proposed Bowland and Marl Hill Tunnels being transferred to Waddington Fell Quarry. The material is classed as a construction waste so has to be disposed of at a suitably permitted facility.

Light vehicles will represent 40% of vehicle movements and these will include the following:

• Crew buses
• Cars
• Transit type pickup’s

HGV’s will represent 60% of vehicle movements and these will include the following:

• 20 tonne, 8 wheel tipper lorries
• Tankers
• Road sweepers
• 40′ Articulated flatbed lorries
• Skip wagons
• Concrete wagons
• Cranes
• Low loaders
• Multi axle low loaders for Tunnel Boring Machine transport

All of the traffic highlighted above will access the construction areas via the A59 which passes through Clayton Le Dale. Although this is a trunk road with sufficient capacity for the volume of traffic generated we do recognise that people may notice more frequent movement of larger construction traffic, with more lorries and vans accessing our construction sites.

We do understand that construction projects like this are inconvenient and we’ll do all we can to minimise disruption while this important work takes place.

The total volume of spoil from the proposed tunnels is anticipated to be = 631,177 m3 / 1,577,943 tonnes.