Archived decisions

Contact: Richard Chinn 02380 427000 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report outlines:

(i) progress with the 2004/05 Highway Maintenance Programme;

(ii) details of the 2005/06 Highway Maintenance Budget;

(iii) details of the 2005/06 Highway Maintenance Programme; and

(iv) progress on 2004/05 Minor Capital works and proposals for the 2005/06 programme.

2. Background

2.1 Members will be aware from previous Panel meetings that the highway maintenance programme is funded from both revenue and capital allocations.

2.2 The revenue maintenance programme funds minor works such as pothole repairs, routine drainage work including gully cleaning, signs and road markings, environmental maintenance of grass verges, trees and shrubs, weed control and highway emergencies. Minor bridge works and winter maintenance are also funded from revenue.

2.3 The capital maintenance programme funds planned maintenance including special maintenance, resurfacing and surface dressing and also provides for essential repairs to the structure of the highway.

3. Progress with the 2004/05 Highways Maintenance Programme

Revenue Maintenance Programme

3.1 The total allocation for Test Valley for 2004/05 was £863,000. Progress throughout the year has generally been in line with the spend profile. At the end of February 98% of the budget had been committed and the full allocation is expected to be used by the end of the year. A budget statement is included as Appendix 1.

Capital Maintenance Programme

3.2 The total allocation for Test Valley for 2004/05 was £1,670,000. Good progress has been made with the programme and it is expected that it will be delivered as planned within time and budget constraints.

3.3 A budget statement is included in Appendix 1 and a status report detailing progress of all special maintenance, resurfacing and surface dressing is attached as Appendix 2.

4. 2005/06 Highway Maintenance Budget

4.1 This year Hampshire County Council has received a significantly reduced Central Government grant through the Local Transport Plan process, £14.614 million compared to the £18.550 million received for 2004/05. The effect of this is a smaller programme of highway structural maintenance works.

4.2 The overall Highway Maintenance budget for 2005/06 approved by the Executive Member for Environment is £45.263 million, comprising £21.613 million revenue funding and £23.650 million funding from the Capital Programme provision. The Executive Member has also approved the allocation of an additional £3.678 million of capital funding for highways maintenance works, the emphasis of this spending to be in the current areas of greatest need, that is minor rural roads and urban footways. The total allocations for Test Valley are included in Appendix 3.

5. 2005/06 Highway Maintenance Programme

Revenue Maintenance Programme

5.1 As previously described, the revenue maintenance programme funds three main areas of highway maintenance:

(i) reactive minor repair works on the road and footway network;

(ii) minor traffic management improvements of signs and road markings; and

(iii) environmental aspects of highway maintenance including grass cutting, weed treatment and tree and shrub maintenance.

5.2 The total allocation for Test Valley in 2005/06 is £947,000. A detailed breakdown of the budget allocations is set out in Appendix 3.

5.3 Additional revenue budgets are held centrally for the performance elements of the County Council's term maintenance contract. The performance based work contained in the contract includes

(i) gully emptying;

(ii) visibility splay grass cutting;

(iii) winter maintenance; and

(iv) ordinary bridge maintenance.

Capital Maintenance Programme

5.4 The funding allocation for the capital maintenance programme is based on the HAMP rating system which identifies locations having the greatest maintenance need. This system comprises an independent assessment of the condition of roads that have been identified as potential candidates for substantial maintenance work, such as resurfacing.

5.5 Planned structural maintenance repairs undertaken through the capital maintenance programme includes surface dressing, special maintenance and resurfacing schemes. The total allocation for Test Valley is £1.427 million and a budget breakdown is given in Appendix 3. A provisional list of schemes for 2005/06 is also set out in Appendix 4.

6. Minor Capital Works

6.1 This section of the report outlines

(i) progress with the 2004/05 Capital Minor Works programme; and

(ii) proposals for the 2005/06 Capital Minor Works programme.

6.2 The capital minor works programme is funded from the capital allocation based on the Local Transport Plan submission to the Department for Transport. In the 2004/05 programme £250,000 was allocated county-wide, of which £25,000 was allocated to Test Valley.

6.3 The schemes in the programme were:

(i) Romsey Road, Wellow - provision of new footway

This scheme has been deferred until 2005/06 as it is subject to a possible Section 38 developer agreement and may be funded in the near future by developer contributions.

(ii) Winchester Road, Wherwell - extension of existing footway

This scheme has been delayed until 2005/06 as it has been amalgamated with improvement works around the War Memorial. It is anticipated that work will begin in spring 2005.

(iii) Charlton Road, Andover - new footway

This scheme has been incorporated into the Foxcotte Road/ Foxcotte Lane/Charlton Road/Hatherden Road Traffic Management Scheme. The footway, together with associated works, is due to be completed in April 2005.

Proposals for 2005/06 Programme

6.4 The Capital Minor Works rolling programme is compiled from suggestions made by elected Members, the Police, Parish Councils, Residents Associations, members of the public and mobility groups, etc. A schedule of schemes under consideration for the Test Valley area is given in Appendix 5. In the 2005/06 programme £200,000 has been allocated county-wide, of which £18,000 has been allocated to Test Valley. The following scheme is to be considered for implementation in 2005/06:

(i) B3048 Longparish Road, Longparish - provision of new footway

It is proposed to provide a footpath linking the main parking area in Longparish with the Village Hall and Longparish C of E Primary School. No footpath presently exists on either side of the B3048 between these facilities and this scheme intends to address the safety concerns raised by local residents. It is likely that this scheme will take up the majority of the Capital Minor Works funding for this financial year. However, once a more detailed estimate has been produced it may be possible to progress one other scheme from the list at Appendix 5. Should that be the case, the scheme selected would take account of the priority ratings included in the listing.

Recommendations

1. That the Highway Maintenance sections of this report be noted.

2. That the Panel be invited to comment on the proposed 2005/06 capital minor works programme and the Executive Member for Environment be advised accordingly.

209/RC