Stirling Council Agenda Item No. 12

Date of Environment and Housing Meeting: 11 April 2019 Committee Not Exempt Roads Infrastructure Modernisation and Investment Programme

Purpose & Summary

This reports seeks the approval from Elected Members for the proposed; Roads Infrastructure Modernisation and Investment Programme 2019/20; Traffic Management & Community Road Safety Programme 2019/20 and the Road Safety Plan: Implementation of Accident Sites Remedial Programme 2019/20. The paper sets out the proposed programme of projects across all three Capital work streams including the attached appendices providing additional details.

Recommendations Committee is asked to: 1. note the delivery of the Roads Infrastructure Modernisation and Improvement Programme of works during 2018/19 (Appendix 1 and Appendix 1a); 2. approve the attached (Appendix 2) Roads Infrastructure Modernisation and Investment Programme of works for 2019/20; 3. approve the Traffic Management & Community Road Safety Programme (Appendix 3) of works for 2019/20; and 4. approve the Road Safety Plan: Implementation of Accident Sites Remedial Programme (Appendix 4) of works for 2019/20.

Resource Implications

The majority of works will be delivered by the Roads Maintenance Service teams. However, due to the specialist nature of some works e.g. road surface dressing, road lining and high friction road surface treatments, some works will be carried out by specialist sub-contractors. Legal & Risk Implications and Mitigation

There are risks attached in failing to invest or a delay in investing in the road network. This action could result in increased insurance claims for damage to vehicles and also reputational damage in regard to the perceived condition of the Councils road network.

1. Background

Roads Infrastructure Modernisation and Improvement Programme of works during 2018/19 1.1. The Council provided a Capital budget allocation of £4.500M available as part of its Road Investment Programme for 2018/19 was distributed between the following four key road assets: Carriageways; £3.465M, Footways; £0.675M, Bridges & Structures, £0.225M and Road Safety Improvements; £0.135M. A further additional investment of £0.750M revenue budget was provided to address substantive repairs and to improve the condition of carriageways following last year’s severe winter weather. 1.2. The Service have completed the Roads Investment Programme for 2018/19 (Appendix 1) with the exception of four of the intended roads surfacing projects at, A9 Plean; Portend, ; Pendreich Rd and the C3 South Alloa Rd. The resources allocated to these projects permitted the extension of other identified schemes. 1.3. Road surfacing works at the easterly edge of Plean were held back due to the ongoing Scottish Power Beauly-Denny pipe laying works on the A9. This project has been included the 2019/20 programme once all pipe laying works have been completed. 1.4. Works on the A81 at Portend, Port of Menteith had been programmed to be taken forward on two separate occasions in May and August 2018 and were postponed on each occasion by pressure from local businesses. As a consequence of the difficulties experienced at this locality, the works on the A821 were extended from five schemes to six. The service was looking to reschedule the works at Portend in April 2019 however with the extended holiday period in April (two weeks of school holidays, the Easter weekend and a May Day weekend) this is now likely to be between May and June 2019. 1.5. Surfacing works to the C3 South Alloa Rd (Rosehill Rd) were delayed due to ongoing road drainage issues. These have now been addressed with a view to carrying out the road surfacing works in 2019/20. 1.6. Road surfacing works have been identified on Pendreich Road, , however there are back drainage issues for the Bridge of Allan Flood Alleviation Scheme that need to be quantified and ideally undertaken before consideration of the proposed road surfacing works. 1.7. Two footpath improvement schemes are currently underway in Braehead and which will be completed in April.

1.8. Two projects from the additional revenue allocation did not proceed as planned due to external factors. Glinns Road, works were halted due for the need to address road surfacing works in advance of the European Championships Cycling event on the A81 in . The second project was the planned works for the A875 at Co-op. There are currently Place Making proposals being driven by the local community for this location and this work has been postponed until detailed plans of the proposals have been finalised. 1.9. The service undertook the reinforcement of the Factory Culvert on the B899 Hillfoots Road between the Wallace Monument and Logie cemetery and also site investigations and safety repairs at Mote Hill adjacent to the Gowanhill, . 1.10. The service have also delivered various Road Safety Improvements works in 2018/19, including; the installation of high friction road surfacing on the A81 (Garruld) and the A872 Pirnhall Rd Junction; village gateway feature at and Fallin; and improved road safety measures on the A811 (between Kirk Lane/Kippen Roundabout).

2. Considerations

Road Infrastructure Modernisation and Investment Programme 2019/20 2.1. The Council have provided a Capital allocation of £4.600M for the Road Infrastructure Modernisation and Investment Programme for 2019/20. The proposed allocation between Carriageways and Footways is £3.910M and £0.690M respectively. 2.2. This investment will allow the service to prioritise projects within the three geographical roads maintenance areas in accordance with the Road Asset Management Plan (RAMP) 2016-2020 and maintain the steady state of the road network. 2.3. The service have prepared a priority list of proposed road improvement projects for carriageways and footways. The list is included on Appendix 2. 2.4. The investment on the Councils road network covers the three geographical road areas and is then distributed between the four road classifications; A, B, C and Unclassified roads (including residential roads) and aligned footways. The distribution between the three geographical areas is based on the square metres of road surface. 2.5. Roads Officers have attended pre-planned engagement sessions assisted by the Community Engagement Teams, to discuss the proposed programme of works and to take on-board any concerns or timing of works, with a view to making adjustments to the programme wherever possible. 2.6. Each of the service projects requires a significant amount of preparatory works to be undertaken and completed prior to works commencing on site. Road space has to be secured 4 – 12 weeks in advance of the work commencing depending on the scale of the works and the time required to complete the works on the road network. Road space can be difficult to secure if there are already public utility infrastructure works underway or if they have previously secured road space in advance of their planned works. This can have an impact on the timing of project works on the network.

2.7. Notices of partial and full road closures follow a formal legal process of notification and are advertised in the local press and uploaded to the Councils web pages. Unfortunately, due to the constraints of road space, the seasonal nature of some works, there will be restrictions on the local road network to address the identified road defects. This may result in traffic control measures or restricted access to and from local communities. However, Road Officers will look to build capacity to provide pre-arranged time banded access wherever possible whilst still maintaining effective operational delivery time. 2.8. Works planned for this year will include; surface repairs followed by surface dressing; resurfacing; surface overlays (laying a surface over an existing road surface) and surface inlays (road surface is planned out and infilled to the same level). In association with the road surfacing works, associated drainage works and footpath surfacing schemes will also be undertaken. 2.9. The allocated Capital investment for 2019/20 will allow the Service to achieve a targeted 3.8% surface treatment of the road network. Traffic Management & Community Road Safety 2.10. The Traffic Management & Community Road Safety allocation of £0.200M for 2019/20 has been allocated for contributions towards Safer Routes to Schools; road signage and markings; and to improve road safety within local communities. A list of the proposed projects is contained in Appendix 3. Road Safety Plan: Implementation of Accident Sites Remedial Programme 2.11. The Road Safety Plan allocation of £0.160M is to address identified road safety issues and deliver remedial works that reduces or removes the identified risk. These works include; village entry or gateway features to reduce speed; or address identified accident blackspot sites. A list of proposed projects can be found on Appendix 4. 2.12. The proposed road improvement works and road safety works will maintain the current road network in its current condition whilst also providing increased road safety measures for all road users and pedestrians.

3. Implications

Equalities Impact 3.1. The contents of this report were assessed under the Council’s Equality Impact Assessment process. It was determined that an Equality Impact Assessment was not required as it does not have a potential impact on specific protected groups. This proposal will improve the condition of the road asset for all road users and pedestrians. Fairer Duty 3.2. The contents of this report and were considered in terms of the Fairer Scotland Duty and were determined not to be of strategic importance. Sustainability and Environmental 3.3. None. Other Policy Implications 3.4. None. Consultations 3.5. Community Engagement: Forum 5 Meeting 14 March 2019. 3.6. Community Engagement: Rural South West Area Forum 18 March 2019.

4. Background Papers

4.1. EqIA Relevance Check. 4.2. Roads Investment Programme for 2018/19. 4.3. Special Meeting of Stirling Council (Proposed General Services Capital Programme 2019 – 2020 21 February 2019.

5. Appendices

5.1. Appendix 1: Roads Modernisation and Investment Programme 2018/19. 5.2. Appendix 1a: Road Safety Improvements 2018/19. 5.3. Appendix 2: Roads Modernisation and Investment Programme 2019/20. 5.4. Appendix 3: Traffic Management & Community Road Safety Programme 2019/20. 5.5. Appendix 4: Road Safety Plan: Implementation of Accident Sites Remedial Programme 2019/20.

Author of Report: David Crighton Contact Details: [email protected]

Approved by: Brian Roberts Signature:

Date: 2 April 2019

Details of Convener(s), Vice Convener(s), Convenor: Councillor Jim Thomson Portfolio Holder and Depute Portfolio Holder Convenor: Councillor Danny Gibson consulted on this report:

Wards affected: All Wards

Key Priorities: E - We will create & implement environment and infrastructure improvements; deliver new ownership & delivery methods around energy generation, public transport & internet access, ensuring profits & services work to community, not commercial priorities

Key Priority Considerations:

Stirling Plan Priority Outcomes: Resilient - People are part of safe and caring (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan) communities within an attractive and sustainable environment