AT A MEETING of the GOSPORT HIGHWAY MANAGEMENT ADVISORY PANEL held at the Town Hall, Gosport on Tuesday 16 July 2002.

PRESENT:

Hampshire County Council

Councillors: M.S. Geddes (Chairman); P.J. Chegwyn; K.P.J. Searle; Mrs M.D. Snaith; D.F. Wright.

Gosport Borough Council

Mrs L. Angus; Mrs I.E. Binfield; P.R. Edgar; K.L. Gill; P.C. Langdon.

1. PANEL CONSTITUTION

The Panel received the report of the County Surveyor (Item 1 in the Minute Book) which set out the Terms of Reference for the Gosport Highway Management Advisory Panel.

Members noted that the Chairman had been appointed by the County Council in accordance with the County Council's constitution.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

2. BLUEPRINT PROGRESS AND AREA SOUTH ORGANISATION

The Panel considered the report of the County Surveyor (Item 2 in the Minute Book) which outlined the progress made with the implementation of Blueprint throughout the newly created highway units, the issue of traffic management and development control and searches.

The County Surveyor advised that on 1 May 2002, 23 staff had transferred from Fareham, Gosport and Havant Borough Councils to Hampshire County Council to form the newly created Hampshire Highways South. In total there were 35 posts, 9 of which would be based in the Gosport office.

An offer had been made to the district councils to enter into an agreement on the delivery of the Traffic Management function which would be in accordance with the existing arrangements in the full agency districts. Gosport Borough Council had indicated a wish in principle to continue to deal with traffic management on a partnership basis, subject to the satisfactory resolution of some detailed issues.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

3. ASSESSMENT OF THE HIGHWAY CONDITION IN HAMPSHIRE

The Panel considered the report of the County Surveyor (Item 3 in the Minute Book) which outlined the systematic approach currently in place to assess the condition of the highway network in Hampshire. In addition the report updated Members on changes required to the condition assessments in light of the County Council's Best Value review, the implementation of the National United Kingdom Pavement Management System (UKPMS) and the recently launched National Code of Practice - Delivering Best Value in Highway Maintenance.

The County Surveyor explained that general highway inspections were routinely carried out to assess footway, cycle track and carriageway conditions and that sites for larger scale planned maintenance works were identified. These sites were then submitted for a more detailed condition assessment called Highway Assessment Maintenance Priorities (HAMP). All schemes were assigned a rating score and from this a planned maintenance programme was prepared.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

4. HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE BUDGET 2002/03

The Panel considered the report of the County Surveyor (Item 4 in the Minute Book) which outlined the Highways Maintenance budget county-wide and the specific budget and programme of works for Gosport.

Officers answered Members' detailed questions on the budget, street lighting and maintenance programme. Members requested that a report setting out the current position regarding the A32 be brought to the next meeting of the Panel. In addition officers felt it would be useful to invite Mr Ken Laughlin, Chief Engineer, ITS Group to explain Intelligent Transport Systems.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

5. OTHER NETWORK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES

The Panel considered the report of the County Surveyor (Item 5 in the Minute Book) which detailed the key issues in respect of other Network Management programmes.

The County Surveyor reported that the casualty reduction schemes, which had risen to over 70 schemes per annum in recent financial years, had produced encouraging accident reductions and financial rates of return. These results had attracted increased levels of funding from the Department for Transport. Schemes would be prioritised on the basis of police recorded injury accident records. Details of seven schemes within the Gosport area were set out in the appendix to the report.

Schools were being encouraged to develop School Travel Plans which would lead to proposals for the Safer Routes to School Programme. Some schemes were already included in the Area Strategy programme but at present there were no sites in the Gosport area included in the provisional additional Safer Routes to School programme for 2002/03. This programme would include schemes put forward by local schools involved with producing a School Travel Plan.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

6. STATUS REPORT ON OTHER HIGHWAY SCHEMES

The Panel considered the report of the County Surveyor and Director of Development and Environment (Gosport Borough Council) (Item 6 in the Minute Book) which set out the South East Hampshire Transportation Strategy Schemes and the Traffic Management programme for Gosport.

Councillor Langdon inquired as to why the Gosport Urban Centre scheme which had appeared in the SEHTS Panel programme did not appear in the appendix to the report. The County Surveyor explained that this scheme had been delayed and work was now not likely to begin until the next financial year and would therefore appear in the 2003/04 programme.

The cycle route scheme for Newgate Lane - Tukes Avenue was being progressed by Fareham Borough Council as the majority of the route was in their area.

Members were advised that the Regeneration of Older Urban Areas works at Trinity Green had commenced and were anticipated to take three months to complete.

Gosport Borough Council had been allocated a budget of £7,000 to implement a programme of Traffic Regulation Orders. The programme had yet to be agreed by the Borough Council's Regulatory Board but was hoped to include seven schemes.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

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