Agenda item

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

16.1     The Contract Manager Highway Infrastructure Services introduced the report. The report is an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the scrutiny review. The review focussed on issues to do with potholes, carriageway repairs, drainage and pavements. Some of the actions have been completed whilst others are ongoing in nature. Significant progress has been made on drainage and in particular work on flooding hotspots and mapping the drainage network. A system of advisories and a velocity patcher have been used to undertake wider pothole repairs. The Team has completed a survey of all the pavements and is developing a plan of works based on that information.

16.2     The Committee discussed the update report and made a number of observations. The comments made by the Committee are summarised below.

Unclassified roads

16.3     Some members of the Committee commented that the reported 14% of unclassified roads requiring maintenance does not correlate with the condition of most roads (with the exception of the principal roads) that the public see which require some work. It was clarified that the percentage of roads requiring maintenance is a national measure as reported to the Department for Transport (DfT) which refers to roads in a ‘red’ condition requiring immediate repair. There is a large proportion of other roads classified as being in ‘amber’ condition which need some work. The original Review Board examined the prioritisation and classification of roads based on the annual survey information. The Director of Communities, Economy and Transport added that previously 25% of unclassified roads were in need of maintenance and work had been carried out on over 140 miles of road. Unclassified roads account for over 1,000 miles of the road network in the County and their condition has been improved.

Pavements

16.4     The Committee welcomed the completion of the condition survey of pavements (also known as footways) and the development of a three-year improvement plan. It noted that the condition of pavements has been an issue with residents, and it is encouraging to see where improvements have been made. This is an example of the Council doing what it says through scrutiny action. The Committee discussed funding for pavements, and it was clarified that the existing £1.6m budget would be used to prioritise those pavements in the worst condition. At this stage it is not possible to estimate the level of funding that will be required to reduce the 18% of pavements that are classified as being in ‘red’ condition (in need of repair).

16.5     It was noted that having pavements in good condition is key to encouraging people to walk more and focus should be given to walking routes to school and town centres. Avoiding falls on pavements is also important in terms of peoples’ health and the impact falls have on the National Health Service and Adult Social Care services.

Kerbs on concrete roads

16.6     The review examined the issue of damaged ‘stick on’ kerbs on concrete roads where kerbs are constructed on top of the concrete road surface. The Committee asked what action had been taken to fund repair work for these kerbs. It was outlined that there is a small repair programme each year to tackle this issue, but it can be costly and complex to replace these kerbs. Often the kerbs have to be reset behind the existing road edge if there is enough space and utility service cables and pipes are not in the way (which would have to be moved). There is a small programme of works planned for next year, but it is difficult to balance the competing demands on the available budget to make this programme larger. The Contract Manager Highway Infrastructure Services offered to speak to any councillors with concerns about this issue outside the meeting.

Verges

16.7     On some rural roads large potholes develop in the verge where vehicles leave the carriageway to pass one another. This can lead to the edge of the road surface being damaged and undermined. Officers outlined that it might not be possible to repair all damaged verges within the budget available, but the service will endeavour to respond to any serious issues.

Quality of work

16.8     The Committee commented that ensuring the consistent quality of repair and re-surfacing work is an ongoing issue and asked how the Council could improve the work done by some gangs. The Contract Manager Highway Infrastructure Services responded that the Team is working hard to ensure the quality of work is to a high standard. The Team inspects a sample of all works and supervisors are checking 100% of carriageway resurfacing and pavement works. The Team have picked up a number of defects that will be rectified and the number of defects has been reduced overall.

Public perception and prioritisation

16.9     The update on the improvement in the performance measures for roads requiring maintenance is welcome, but it does not deal with the public perception that roads are in need of repair. This is the most common issue raised by the local community and through case work. Some roads are seen as more important locally, such as routes to work and arterial roads (e.g. the A259 and the C7) and have been the subject of social media campaigns for improvements. The Committee asked how the Council can respond to these sorts of issues when prioritising work.

16.10   The Contract Manager Highway Infrastructure Services outlined that the system used for prioritising repair and re-surfacing work is explained in the Members guide which was updated following the review. There is a strategy and plan that the Council is working to which is based on asset management principles, road condition (assessed by laser scanning and photographic surveys) and the road network hierarchy. This plan is adjusted regularly to deal with any unexpected deterioration in road condition. At present the Team has an annual budget of £15 million for this work, but the estimated cost of repairing all roads assessed as being in the ‘red’ condition category which require maintenance is £300 million.

The A259

16.11   There is a recognition that the A259 is an important route and it has been designated by the DfT as part of the Main Road Network (MRN) which recognises its strategic importance. There are plans for works to the stretch of the A259 between by Newhaven and Brighton in future years, and work is co-ordinated with Brighton and Hove City Council where possible. There is work planned for next year to the circulatory road system in Newhaven and additional funding has been applied for to stabilise the section of the A259 that is slipping downhill at Rushey Hill between Newhaven and Peacehaven.

Advisories and jet patching

16.12   The Committee asked if the increased use of ‘advisories’ to repair wider areas around potholes had been successful and whether this approach would be used further in future. It also commented on the appearance of jet patched repairs and the debris left behind after the works. The Contract Manager Highway Infrastructure Services outlined that advisory repairs will continue to be undertaken as part of normal working practices where the budget permits. The jet patching product specification has changed. It is a better product, the appearance of repairs is better, and it is a very successful preventative maintenance treatment which can be used year-round even in winter.

Website and reporting problems

16.13   The Committee noted the low number of ESCC Councillors who were using the online reporting facility on the updated East Sussex Highways website. It was recommended that training on the highways reporting facility be included in the induction training for all new Councillors and its use is promoted to all Councillors as it is the best way of getting issues reported and resolved. The Committee commented that it would be helpful to have a simple to use app to enable people to report highway issues using their phone or other device. The Lead Member for Transport and Environment commented that she is keen to get Councillors using the website as the first option for reporting issues and there are plans to develop an app in the future.

Summary comments

16.14   Overall, the Committee recognised the good progress that has been made on implementing the recommendations of the scrutiny review. However, there are still some issues such as ensuring the consistency of the quality of work that need some further work. Some of these will be included within the work undertaken by the Highways Contract Reference Group on the future highway maintenance contract. The Lead Member for Transport and Environment commented that she is really pleased to see the progress that has been made and was part of the Review Board before becoming the Lead Member.

16.15   The Committee RESOLVED to note the updates to the recommendations and action plan set out in the report.