Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change which provided an update on highways asset management service delivery.  Strategic Highways Manager, Paul Anderson, was welcomed to the meeting to deliver a presentation (for copy of report and presentation see file of minutes).

Introducing the presentation, the Strategic Highways Manager highlighted the highway network is the Council’s highest value asset.  He explained that the Highways Act 1980 sets out the duties for local highway authorities in respect of highway maintenance and whilst the Act does not specify the level of maintenance, the Code of Practice for Well Maintained Highway Infrastructure 2018 provides a framework for the management of highway assets. 

The Committee received information on the highway inventory and the types of maintenance carried out under the categories of reactive, routine and programmed maintenance. The Highway Maintenance Plan sets out service levels for safety, inspections, condition surveys and reactive and routine maintenance.  Condition surveys are undertaken to identify deficiencies and to assist in determining programmed maintenance.  Details were also provided of the various surveys, including visual inspections, footway network surveys and machine surveys.

Referring to the asset condition, the Committee noted that Durham’s classified road network is performing better than the national average however the unclassified network remains a priority and additional funding is being used to improve its condition. The condition of the bridge stock is in line with national targets.

The process for identifying capital programme works was outlined, which takes into consideration accident blackspots, the results of condition surveys and feedback gathered from the public and elected members, to identify priority schemes.  A detailed breakdown of the proportion of the budget allocated to the various types of highway work and structures was included in the presentation.

The Committee noted that a team of 16 Highways Inspectors undertake safety inspections throughout the county which include 1,126 statutory inspections per year, identifying approximately 55-65,000 defects.  Information was provided on how the frequency of repairs is determined by analysing factors such as footfall and traffic type, with each defect being allocated a repair category, in accordance with the Highway Inspection Manual.  Within the previous year, 93% of all safety defects were repaired within timescales and this robust maintenance and inspection process resulted in a repudiation rate of 94% in respect of 3^rd party claims.  The Strategic Highways Manager drew attention to category 2.2 defects, which require repair within 3 months, noting that performance over the past year was slightly below target, however, performance in relation to the more serious category defects had exceeded targets. 

The Strategic Highways Manager explained that the development of artificial intelligence is being used in defect identification and condition monitoring which has the potential to reduce the number of site visits and provide better quality evidence to defend claims. The Committee also received information on how the Council continues to introduce initiatives to reduce carbon emissions such as the development of new road surfacing techniques which incorporate plastic and rubber crumb.

With regard to highway structures, the Committee noted that the figure for the current maintenance backlog was higher than that stated in the presentation, and stood at approximately £50million, with a current budget of approximately £4.8million.

Concluding the presentation, the Strategic Highways Manager outlined the main challenges for the service included reduced budget allocation, the impact of the global economy which had caused costs to soar, skills shortages and the government’s digital rollout initiative. The Strategic Highways Manager updated the Committee that, since the presentation was prepared, the number of digital providers in the county had increased to 8 and information received from just one of the providers was that that they expected to work in 12 towns and villages and provide 45,000 connections. The Committee heard that the Highway Network Team works alongside digital broadband suppliers to ensure safety, to protect structures and minimise disruption. Due to the scale of the broadband installation works, a decision had been taken to postpone capital footway replacement schemes for this financial year, with a view to reinstating the schemes when the installation programme is complete.  The Strategic Highways Manager explained that whilst utility companies must apply for permits, the digital rollout is a government initiative and broadband suppliers are granted blanket permits, with far fewer restrictions than other utility companies.

The Chair thanked the officer for the detailed report and invited comments and questions from the Committee.

Councillor Sutton-Lloyd raised the issue of faded road signs and he asked for further information on the range of street furniture maintained by Durham County Council. The Strategic Highways Manager responded that approximately 95% of street furniture is maintained by the Council, including pedestrian guard rails, fences, bollards and some planters, with litter bins being maintained by the Clean and Green team.  He clarified that maintenance of street signs is not within the remit of the service and these matters would therefore be referred to Traffic colleagues who repair damaged signs, whilst the Clean and Green team deal with signs which require cleaning.

Councillor Sutton-Lloyd then referred to the issuing of permits for trenching across roads and the Strategic Highways Manager explained that the Highway Network Team approve permits and undertake spot-checks.  Where work is found to be below standard, the number of spot-checks may be increased.  If, during the course of their work, the Highway Inspection Team identify a trench that is failing, they may identify it under the Street Manager system and issue a report to the utility company, for a repair to be carried out.  With respect to complaints regarding noisy ironwork, repairs are undertaken if the defect is identified to be a safety defect.

Councillor Stubbs asked for clarification in relation to the process for the inspection of resurfacing works on unclassified roads and he asked if a minimum standard of work is required as he had observed varying standards of work.

The Strategic Highways Manager explained the different types of surface dressing and he explained that the Council designs the type of dressing to be used.  On occasions, contactors may query the design and they may advise that an alternative dressing should be used. The Council supervises the work on site and loose chippings must be swept until the Council is satisfied that no further sweeping is necessary. When a surface dressing fails, the repair is not carried out straight away as the process relies upon warm, dry weather to be successful and for this reason work is usually carried out during the summer months. The Strategic Highways Manager invited Councillor Stubbs to email him with further information, if he wished to discuss a particular site.

Councillor Ormerod asked for further information on how artificial intelligence is being used. The Strategic Highways Manager stated that scanner surveys are limited and trials show that artificial intelligence provides more accurate information and defect detection rates, in addition to real-time information. It also provides better quality evidence to defend claims as well as financial savings and carbon reduction, in terms of fewer site visits being required.

In response to a comment from Councillor Robson regarding the prevalence of weeds growing through surface treatments on footpaths, the Strategic Highways Manager highlighted that footpath surface treatment can prolong the life of a footway by 5-7 years and he explained that safer weed treatments are now used which are weaker in strength to those used in previous years, making weeds more prevalent. 

Councillor Robson then referred to trenches which are installed for electric vehicle charging cables and he asked whether this work would impact the service.  The Strategic Highways Manager clarified that this initiative is managed by Durham County Council and the channels for this purpose are unobtrusive and are at a shallow depth, which minimises the impact on utility companies.

Councillor Adam raised concerns with regard to contractors and the standard  of surface dressing on footways and he asked how the Council reports these problems to contractors to ensure they are aware of the issues.  He echoed the comments of other members regarding the number of weeds and he had observed that this seemed to occur when footpaths were not sufficiently cleared back, prior to the surface treatment being applied.  The Strategic Highways Manager requested that these issues be reported to the service as it is the responsibility of the Council’s Contract Supervisor to ensure the works are carried out to the required standard.

Councillor Adam then referred to the highway maintenance backlog of £175million which could take approximately 20 years to address and he asked how this would be funded. The Strategic Highways Manager spoke of the importance of using innovation to introduce more durable products to increase the longevity of repairs and he stressed the importance of ensuring that the right treatment is applied at the right time. 

Resolved:

That the content of the report and presentation be noted.