Report to Cabinet Locality Services Date of Issue: 29 March 2019 Member for: Date of Decision: 5 April 2019 Subject: Highway Maintenance Programme 2019/20 Report of: Head of Highways Wards Affected: All Wards and Public Protection Is this a Key No Included in No Decision: Forward Plan: Exempt / No Confidential Report: Summary: To advise Cabinet Member for Localities & Highways of those locations which have been recommended for inclusion in the Highway Maintenance Programme for 2019/20. Recommendations: It is recommended that Cabinet Member for Localities & Highways examines the programme and makes known his comments to the Department of Highways & Public Protection. All comments and any additional schemes recommended by Cabinet Member shall be investigated to determine whether or not any adjustment to the current listings is appropriate. Reasons for the Recommendations: To acknowledge the comments made by Cabinet Member for Localities & Highways and approve the prioritised programme of highway maintenance works for delivery during 2019/20. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: (including any Risk Implications) To supplement the proposed carriageway improvement programmes, wholesale footway reconstructions across the borough will continue to be suspended; allowing the relevant funding to be directed towards carriageway resurfacing and preventative footway/carriageway treatment programmes. It is considered that this will use the allocated funds to best effect and minimize the impact of severe weather conditions on these road surfaces in the future. What will it cost and how will it be financed? (A) Revenue Costs It should be noted that during preparation of this report, Revenue and Capital budget allocations for 2019/20 had not been finalised. Consequently, the list of schemes that form part of the draft highway maintenance programme has been based on 2018/19 funding awards and those schemes actually undertaken will be adjusted in line with available funding. Should a reduction in budget provisions in 2019/20 be recognised, it is inevitable that the number of schemes being identified for improvement will be reduced also. (B) Capital Costs As above. Implications of the Proposals: The following implications of this proposal have been considered and where there are specific implications, these are set out below: Resource Implications (Financial, IT, Staffing and Assets): Delivery of the works programmes will be completed using existing staffing, resources and available budgets. Legal Implications: No Legal Implications. Equality Implications: There are no equality implications. Contribution to the Council’s Core Purpose: Protect the most vulnerable: The effective repair and maintenance of the highway infrastructure not only ensures safety for all road users but in particular those pedestrians with disabilities, i.e. Visually impaired etc. Facilitate confident and resilient communities: The effective repair and maintenance of the council’s road networks will assist those communities across the borough. Commission, broker and provide core services: Completion of the works programmes will contribute towards the aspiration of the 2030 vision. Place – leadership and influencer: Taking a leading role in the development of these annual works programmes, will always be in the best interest of Sefton Council and its residents. Drivers of change and reform: To support maintenance activities across the council’s respective highway networks, the development of these annual works programmes provides opportunity for a wide range of conventional and proprietary surface treatments to be used which leads to continuous improvements across the borough and the outcomes for local residents. Facilitate sustainable economic prosperity: The highway infrastructure is one of the council’s largest assets. Local businesses rely on effective transport links to enable them to trade and grow. Keeping the highway infrastructure well maintained reduces delays on the network thus contributing to this. Greater income for social investment: A well maintained highway network reduces congestion and allows the free movement of traffic across the borough which can lead to improved business links, generated income and profit which has the potential to be invested across other council services. Cleaner Greener Continued investment in longer term maintenance activities such as carriageway resurfacing and treatments will reduce traffic congestion and the impact this has on the local environment and people’s wellbeing. What consultations have taken place on the proposals and when? (A) Internal Consultations The Head of Corporate Finance (FD 5573/19) and Chief Legal and Democratic Officer (LD4697/19) have been consulted and any comments have been incorporated into the report. (B) External Consultations Not applicable. Implementation Date for the Decision Following the expiry of the “call-in” period for the Cabinet Member decision. Contact Officer: Mr David Franey Telephone Number: 0151 934 3077 Email Address: [email protected] Appendices: There are no appendices to this report. Background Papers: There are no background papers available for inspection. 1.0 Introduction/Background 1.1 A draft Highway Maintenance Programme for 2019/20 is being shared with Cabinet Member for consultation and comment. 1.2 A single year’s programme of works is being presented at this time. Unfortunately, the damaging effects of weather conditions and traffic usage will continue to manifest itself over the next year leading to further and more significant levels of deterioration in many roads across the Borough. It is not possible to predict future deterioration levels across the whole network with any degree of confidence at this time; consequently, it is considered premature to attempt to identify schemes for inclusion in financial year 2020/21 and beyond. 1.3 The Highway Maintenance Programme for the whole of the Borough is appended at the back of this report and includes a range of highway treatments, namely, carriageway resurfacing, micro-asphalt carriageway and footway slurry seal surface treatments. (Refer to Annex A) 1.4 The list of sites being considered for street lighting improvements during 2019/20 is also appended to this report. (Refer to Annex B) 1.5 The programmes identify the volume of schemes which are likely to be completed during 2019/20 based upon anticipated budget allocations and preliminary cost estimates. 2.0 Evaluation Process 2.1 Based upon the levels of deterioration being reported, and the subsequent visual assessments carried out by technical staff, the relative need for treatments at individual locations has been determined and prioritised accordingly. 2.2 This evaluation has included an on-site assessment of the causation of the ‘wear and tear’, the type and depth of the construction materials, road classification and usage to support the decision making process of what, when and where to treat. This has included reviewing the impact of doing no programmed work at this time and continuing to maintain the section of highway through routine maintenance/patching operations. Consequently, the prioritisation of individual schemes has been based on its perceived need. 3.0 Treatment Selection 3.1 The selection of individual treatments will depend upon the nature and severity of the defective lengths of highway. 3.2 Micro-Asphalt and Slurry Seal surfacing is a cold applied treatment, which can be applied to deteriorated surface, where the platform layer is in otherwise sound condition. It will seal surfaces against the ingress of water and thereby prolong the life of the underlying construction layers. It has limited re-profiling qualities but will provide a durable hard wearing surface for a number of additional years depending on local conditions and usage. 3.3 Resurfacing involves completely removing the top surface of the road and replacing it with a new surface layer. It may include large areas of deep reconstruction to the lower layers of the road. It should take place only at the end of the serviceable life of the associated construction layers and when such procedures such as micro surfacing and other similar type treatments are not viable. It becomes necessary when traffic loading has exceeded the load bearing capacity of the road, causing unacceptable strain. 4.0 Allocation of Funds 4.1 This year the carriageway improvement programmes have been prepared, consisting, predominantly of carriageway resurfacing and micro-asphalt applications. 4.2 Given the deterioration levels across the highway network, which has accelerated in recent years, there is a need to focus more on long term maintenance solutions such as carriageway resurfacing / reconstruction. 4.3 The use of micro-asphalt and other similar type treatments has proven successful in slowing down deterioration levels across the council’s highway networks and will continue to do so. 4.4 Regrettably, there is a high percentage of the highway network that has failed and beyond surface treatment applications which are becoming uneconomical to maintain through routine maintenance/patching operations. This remains a risk to the Council however officers will continue to target available funding to maximise benefits and minimise the risk to the Council. 4.5 Cabinet Member should be made aware of selective locations that have been included in the carriageway surface treatment programmers which are nearing borderline for preventative type treatments to be effective. Following assessment by our specialist