Agenda item

a)        Joint Report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships and the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services

b)        Presentation by Brian Buckley, Strategic Highways Manager and Brian Kitching, Highways Asset Manager

The Committee considered the Joint Report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships and the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Local Services that provided Members with information on the Winter Maintenance Policy that looked back at how the authority coped with the previous winter and what it has in place to deal with the forth coming winter (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

Members received a presentation from the Highway Asset Manager, Regeneration and Local Services that provided Members with statistics on salt for 2016/17; service change improvements; improvements to depots; current fleet; weather stations; winter maintenance policy; treatment routes; footway snow clearance; provision of salt and grit bins; kay facts and figures; partnership working; the snow code and winter maintenance ‘Go Live’ (for copy of presentation, see file of minutes).

Members were advised that the service had used a total of 30,000 tonnes of salt, had carried out nearly 5000 pre salt runs, replenished 335 salt bins carried out 99 snow salt runs in the Dales area with a total expenditure of £3.3 million.  The Highways Assets Manager advised that although last year’s winter was considered as mild in comparison to the heavy winters of 2009/10 and 11 it was not without its challenges. 2016/17 winter had continued into April with snow fall which impacted on resources. Members were advised that all gritting vehicles including tractors used by farmers had a tracking system.

The Highways Assets Manager informed the committee that most of the vehicles used by their staff for gritting and snow clearing was less than 4 years old with a maximum age of 7 years old. The weather stations provided live updates on road conditions, which helped motorists plan their route safely. Members were advised that the government had issued a new code of practice which had some changes from the old one and that the authority would be aligning itself to the new code.

Information was given on treatment routes and members were informed that for priority 1 carriageways Durham County Council treat 45% of their roads which is the highest in the country some local authorities only treat 20% of carriageways. For priority 2 carriageways the authority only treat 10% of which are only treated during prolonged severe weather conditions. During heavy snowfall more intensive resource is required to keep carriage ways open, this has not been used since winter 2010/11.  Footways are not treated unless there are extended periods of frost conditions and then only in specific places.  Information was given on the provision of salt and grit bins and members were advised that anyone can request a grit bin and request forms were available on the website.

Members were provided with key facts and figures in relation to winter maintenance and with a list of parish councils who work with the local authority in gritting mainly footpaths. Members were advised that in other European countries householders are required to remove the snow from the footpaths in front of their properties but this wasn’t law in the UK. However many householders are under the assumption that if they did this then someone fell and injured themselves they would be held liable – this is not the case as they can prove they had done this with good intentions.

Mr Bolton inquired about the costs involved in the purchase of salt and grit and if there were any regional arrangements with other local authorities to achieve economies of scale. The Highways Assets Manager advised that this was done via a North East Procurement Organisation contract to buy salt from Cleveland Potash so economies of scale involved.

Councillor Martin asked if getting access to priority 1 routes was an issue due to parked cars. The Highway Asset Manager responded that this was a more serious problem than it had been in the past with increasing numbers of households owning two or three cars which meant that at least one of the cars could be parked on the roadside. This could lead to problems if the gritter couldn’t get past, then they have to pull off that route so parked cars were a massive problem. The service use media to ask people to park sensibly to allow the gritter to get past, but this was a national problem.

Councillor Clare advised that in his opinion, the system was fantastic and he was proud of the level of service being delivered.  He mentioned that the public tend to criticise when there is a sudden burst of snow and everyone makes for the roads and the traffic grinds to a halt. The member asked if the service prepares the public for limitations of the service and if ‘Go Live’ was publicised.  The Highways Asset Manager advised that the authority does use a weather forecast provider but sometimes it can be wrong. The worst conditions for the winter maintenance team was freezing rain, as rain washes the salt off the road and then freezes. The Highways Assets Manager advised that there had been lots of campaigns highlighting winter maintenance programme and media coverage including information on the website but the service is always open to ideas to increase public awareness and increase awareness of public responsibilities.

Councillor Boyes referred to the criteria used for the siting and supply of grit bins on steep gradients and if the gradient was stipulated or at the officers discretion. The Highway Asset Manager advised that the criteria for the siting of grit bins was published, but he didn’t have the precise information but would get back to the Councillor with the information the Highways Inspectors assess whether a grit bins were needed.  Members were informed that they had 2500 grit bins and they were nearly at saturation point.

Councillor Kay commented that he used the ‘Go Live’ system last year to see where the gritters were so that he could advise his constituents but anyone could use the ‘Go Live’ system who had access to the internet.

Councillor Sexton suggested that the Area Action Partnerships are used to get the message across to members of the public to make them aware of the problems the gritters have with parked vehicles.

In response to a question from Councillor Clare regarding the prince of a dumpy bag of salt the Highways Assets Manager advised that this was approximately £108.

Resolved: That the report be noted.