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TRAFFORD COUNCIL Report to: Executive Member for Environment & Operations Date: 10th September 2014 Report for: Decision Report of: Corporate Director Economic Growth, Environment and

Infrastructure

Highways Maintenance Allocation 2014/15

Summary

This report provides details of the highway maintenance budget allocation for 2014/15

Recommendation(s)

That approval is given to: 1) the highway maintenance methodology shown in table 4.2.1 of the report 2) the highways maintenance budget allocation for 2014/15 shown in table 5.1

of the report 3) the list of structural maintenance schemes shown in Appendix B of the

report 4) the list of street lighting replacement schemes shown in Appendix D of the

report

Contact person for access to background papers and further information: Name: Aidan Flynn Telephone No.: 07760 167 091 Background Papers: None

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Financial Implications:

The value of capital schemes recommended for approval totals £2.331m and can be financed from the 2014/15 allocation included in the Capital Programme. In addition a further £100k will be used to cover revenue pothole repairs to be funded from capital reserve.

Efficiency Savings: None at this stage

Legal Implications: None.

Human Resources Implications:

None.

E-Government Implications: None.

Risk Management Implications:

The programme of spending is as described within the report, however adjustments will be made to the programme if necessary to ensure that the overall outcomes set down in the report are achieved.

Health and Safety Impact: The improvements proposed will help maintain safety for all highway users.

Equality/Diversity Implications

None

Asset management implications

All highway proposals have been based on sound asset management principles.

Sustainability Implications Improved ride quality of highways will help reduce carbon emissions

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1.0 Background: 1.1 The Council’s highway asset has a notional value of £1.5 billion

Table 1.1.1

Asset Gross Replacement Cost

Carriageways £976m

Footways and cycle tracks £196m

Sub Total £1,172m

Bridges & Structures £244m

Lighting/Street Furniture £70m

Grand Total £1,486m

1.2 The Council’s highway asset consists of: Table 1.2.1

Asset Size

Roads Over 800km

Footways Over 1700km

Public Right of Way Over 100km

Lighting columns Over 27,000 no.

Illuminated signs and bollards Over 3,000 no.

Bridges & Structures Over 150 no.

1.3 The integrated highway service structure within Economic Growth, Environment

and Infrastructure has brought together the strategic governance of structural, planned, preventative and reactive highway maintenance solutions. This has enabled the full integrated governance of the whole of the highway asset. ‘Better Roads & Pavements’ remain consistently identified as one of the top service areas that residents and businesses wish to see supported.

1.4 The capital highway maintenance budget financial position for this and previous

years is as follows: Table 1.4.1

Budget Allocation

2008/09 £m

2009/10 £m

2010/11 £m

2011/12 £m

2012/13 £m

2013/14 £m

2014/15 £m

Capital 8.0 6.8 5.5 2.372 2.288 2.121 2.331

1.5 In recognition of the reduction in highway capital funding over recent years, the

Council has awarded an additional one off allocation of £1.350m for structural highway maintenance works for 2014/15. These additional works are currently being undertaken.

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1.6 It has also been recognised that the legacy of inappropriate large tree species planted across Trafford’s highways has created a number of tree related trips caused by undulating roads, cracked footways, third party wall damage and roots growing into drains. An investment into removal of these trees, combined with replacement of more appropriate trees over the past three years has ensured that this major issue is being tackled. This continues to be an issue and needs to be addressed to ensure a continuing long term reduction in highway liability claims.

1.7 In order to keep highway claim costs on their current downward trend,

continuing emphasis is placed on maintaining a high quality effective inspection regime to ensure highway intervention policy levels are maintained. Reactive maintenance is currently carried out strictly in accordance with the Council’s Highway Maintenance Inspection Policy.

1.8 Another additional potential budget pressure currently under consideration is

the maintenance of highways in conservation areas. Conservation area appraisals in five conservation areas in Altrincham are currently under review and should be completed by autumn 2014. This will provide Members with an opportunity to develop a highways maintenance policy for works in conservation areas taking into consideration, amongst many other factors, any additional revenue implications.

2.0 Condition Performance Indicators

2.1 National Condition Performance Indicators (NI’s) relate to the Council’s main

classified roads. The classified A road network is 56km long and the classified B

& C network is 101km long. NI’s are reported at a Transport for Greater

Manchester level as an indicator of the percentage of roads in poor condition,

2.2 The unclassified road network, which is not a national indicator, is 643km long,

equating to 82% of our 800km highway network. The unclassified highway

network is what attracts most service requests from residents, and therefore

requires a significantly larger percentage of any investment capital that is

available.

2.3 Condition performance indicators measure the percentage of the network that

requires maintenance intervention. This year’s condition performance indicators

on the classified road network have increased measured against the low of 2009.

The unclassified network, which is surveyed using a visual inspection rather than

a mechanical scanner survey as used on the classified network is maintaining its

condition indicator level albeit the amount of requests for intervention continue to

grow. Table 2.3.1 provides the condition indicators for the past seven years. It

should be noted that these surveys are carried out on the road, i.e. they do not

measure footways.

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Table 2.3.1 Classified and unclassified highway condition indicators:

2007/8 %

2008/9 %

2009/10 %

2010/11 %

2011/12 %

2012/13 %

2013/14 %

A 9 8 6 9 9 6* 9

B&C 8 7 5 5 8 5* 8

U 9 7 8.6 9 7 7 7

* these figures are considered not to be reliable and have been challenged

3.0 Future Highway Investment Model:

3.1 The creation of a highway investment model is difficult for a number of reasons:

• The number of variables affecting the current condition and improvements to the highway network.

• Limited historical data.

• Changes in rules and parameters and survey methods, which create difficulties in analysis of historical condition data of the highway.

• External influences – for example the effect on personal injury claims due to the economic situation and the number of claims management companies.

• Variable climatic change effects making interpretation of historical condition data, and reactive maintenance data difficult.

• It is difficult to know if the whole network is “in balance” at any stage i.e. the profile of deterioration of the network.

3.2 The approach taken to develop the current model was to:

• Create a hypothetic model – whole life costing model.

• Compare historical evidence.

• Adjust the hypothetical model based on historical evidence (taking into account the accuracy of that information).

• Refine the model incorporating more detailed split of whole life costing for different types of road and different existing construction types.

• Refine the model incorporating new techniques and revised assumptions.

• Test the model/adjust the model by deterioration analysis/modelling. 3.3 The outcome has been the development of the Steady State Model, based on

estimated repair costs and empirical data. It has been estimated the improvement that can be derived and the impact this will have on performance in current and future years. The target setting is based on the theoretical deterioration model outlined in the Council’s Transport Asset Management Plan. The annual steady state cost for the highway based on the above is £5m/annum.

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3.3.1 Annual highway steady state maintenance cost: Table 3.3.1.1

Road Classification Annual Cost

A £650k

B & C £950k

U £3,400k

Total £5,000k

3.4 The additional cost, above steady state, to improve the highway condition

indicator of the highway network by 1 percentage point is as follows: Table 3.4.1

Asset

Improve by Cost

A Roads 1% £0.320m

B & C Roads 1% £0.460m

Unclassified 1% £2.000m

3.5 The cost to remove the Councils maintenance backlog, based on the Whole of

Government Account Depreciated Replacement Cost is £85m. This value is to bring the entire highway up to “as new condition”.

Table 3.5.1

Asset/Classification A

B &C U Total

Carriageways £4m £5m £33m £42m

Footways £4m £5m £34m £43m

Total £8m £10m £67m £85m

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3.6 The annual steady state requirement including bridges and street lighting is

£6.5m/annum

4.0 Highway Maintenance Methodology 2014/15

4.1 The annual allocation of the Council’s highway maintenance budget requires a highways maintenance methodology that places even greater emphasis on value for money to reflect the tighter budget constraints and to try and avoid deterioration in the highway network. The Council also needs to be aware that NI’s can distort local priorities.

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4.2 The proposal for the highway maintenance methodology is as follows:

Table 4.2.1 Highway Maintenance Methodology:

Item

No.

Proposal

1 Implementation of a variety of value for money based interventions such

as different types of preventative (stitch in time) treatments; small,

medium and large area re-surfacing works; and use of emerging

technology.

2 Commitment to spend based on sound asset management principles.

3 Continuing support for a claims risk reduction strategy i.e. placing

continued greater emphasis on footways spend

4 Improving the asset knowledge data base to inform/improve our

intervention strategies

5.0 Proposed Highways Budget Allocation for 2014/15:

Table 5.1. Summary of the proposed budget allocation for 2014/15: Item 2014/15

£k

Capital Budget: Capital Grant Allocation(incl. additional allocation of £213k) Additional Government Grant (Pothole Funding Allocation* and Severe Winter Pressure**) Less committed to date Balance Available

2,267 403

(339) 2,331

Budget allocation recommended for approval:-

Highways planned structural maintenance 1,116

Highways preventative maintenance 440

Street lighting replacement 300

Footways/Footpaths (PROW/Parks/Cemeteries) 95

Bridges 240

Highway trees resolution 70

Highway capital drainage works 70

Total 2,331

(*) Capital allocation of £417k awarded, of which £317k will be used to carry out additional capital highway structural maintenance resurfacing works and £100k will be used to support the general capital programme. This will free-up £100k of capital reserves so that it can be used for additional revenue pothole repairs. (**) There has also been an additional £86k awarded for highway structural maintenance works from the Central Government Severe Winter Pressure Grant.

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6.0 Conclusions: 6.1 It is clear that there is member, resident and business support for a well

maintained highways network within Trafford and that it is an essential contributor to the Trafford economic growth agenda. However, the economy is facing unprecedented austerity measures, which have serious funding implications for the Council.

6.2 The Council would prefer to spend its money on repairing the highway network

rather than making payments to claimants (a significant proportion of these pay-outs go to solicitors), but there is a balance to be struck between what would be an ideal maintenance model identified in the TAMP (i.e. a steady state spend of £6.5million/annum to maintain the status quo) and what the Council can afford.

6.3 There is a clear recognition that the highways capital allocation of £2.331

million for 2014/15 remains an essential requirement for maintaining the Council’s highway asset. It is however also understood that if the TAMP steady state of £6.5million/annum is ever to be achieved, Members need to be aware that even with the currently proposed methodology, the Council cannot continue to maintain the roads at a steady state and that further deterioration is inevitable. The condition of the highway network will be continually monitored by the Council’s highway inspectors and by using external survey data, such as SCANNER and Coarse Visual Inspections. Condition Indicators will still be measured and reported on and performance measured in accordance with the performance indicators provided in the Annual Delivery Plan.

6.4 In the meantime the Council will continue to implement the highways

maintenance methodology over this current austerity period that reflects the tighter budget constraints, whilst trying to meet the continuing needs of residents and businesses of Trafford.

6.5 A summary of the highway structural maintenance scheme selection process is

shown in Appendix A. The proposed highways structural maintenance scheme programme for 2014/15 is shown in Appendix B The annual (seven year, three wards per year) 2014/15 preventative maintenance programme has been completed and is shown in Appendix C. The proposed street lighting capital programme is provided in Appendix D. It should be noted that new schemes in conservation areas, except for emergencies, have been put on hold pending the outcome of the conservation area appraisals.

7.0 Recommendation 7.1 A summary of proposed recommendations is as follows:

1) approve the highway maintenance methodology shown in table 4.2.1 2) approve the highways maintenance budget allocation for 2014/15 shown in

table 5.1

3) approve the list of structural maintenance schemes shown in Appendix B

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4) approve the list of street lighting replacement schemes shown in

Appendix D 8.0 Reasons for Recommendations 8.1 The recommendations have been made to ensure the continuing integrity of the

highway network. 9.0 Other Options 9.1 These proposals are based on funding levels less than those identified in the

Council’s Transport Asset Management Plan to maintain steady state. Funding levels lower than that proposed will jeopardise the integrity of the highway network, however it is recognised that during a period of austerity compromises have to be made.

10.0 Consultation 10.1 The highway planned structural maintenance scheme selection process is shown in

Appendix A Finance Officer Clearance GB Legal Officer Clearance CK CORPORATE DIRECTOR’S SIGNATURE

To confirm that the Financial and Legal Implications have been considered and the Executive Member has cleared the report.

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APPENDIX A

Highway Planned Structural Maintenance Scheme Selection Process

Condition Indicators Notes

Scanner Surveys Electronic vehicle based condition surveys of classified roads

CVI surveys unclassified roads

Coarse Visual Inspection – visual condition survey of unclassified roads

Footways DVI’s

Visual survey of classified footways

Highway Inspector surveys

Visual inspection of classified and unclassified roads and footways

PROW surveys Public Rights of Way visual surveys

Insurance risks Insurance claim statistics provided by the Council’s Insurers (flags and trees)

NI & BVPI indicators

National & Best Value Performance highway condition indicators

TAMP life cycle plans

Council’s Transport Asset Management Plan

MARCH UK PMS

Highway asset management computer data base

CRM

Customer Relationship Management system for service requests

Annual elected members consultation

Annual structural highway maintenance list preparation consultation with members

On-going public service requests

Continual public engagement throughout the year regarding highway condition

Engineering inspection Visual inspection and rationalisation of survey data

Other Factors

Notes

Geographical location

Commitment to spend based on asset management principles

Road Safety Accident Black spots

Road Safety accident statistics

Footway/Carriageway

Continuing support for a claims risk reduction strategy

Congestion reduction highway junction improvements

Section 278 schemes

Cycling routes

Road safety accident statistics

School Travel Plan & other walking improvement routes

Road safety accident statistics

Minimise kerb replacement Austerity measure

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Not used

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APPENDIX B

Highways Structural Maintenance 2014/15 Schemes

Road Classification Limits Scheme Detail Ward

'A' roads

Dunham Road (A56) Highgate Road to St Margarets Road (Part) carriageway resurfacing Altrincham

Dunham Road (A56) Regent Road traffic signal junction carriageway resurfacing Bowdon

Washway Road (A56) Sibson Road to tie-in north joint carriageway resurfacing Priory / Ashton upon Mersey

Barton Road Stret (A5181) Kingsway to Park Road carriageway resurfacing Stretford

Barton Road Stret (A5181) Park Road to Moss Park Road carriageway resurfacing Stretford

'B' & 'C' roads

M60 roundabout - Parkway roundabout - isolated areas carriageway resurfacing Gorse Hill

M60 roundabout - Trafford Boulevard roundabout - isolated areas carriageway resurfacing Davyhulme East

Trafford Boulevard nearside west bound - T/centre to roundabout carriageway resurfacing Davyhulme East

Church Brow whole length carriageway resurfacing Bowdon

Moss Vale Road Bradfield Road to Westminster Road carriageway resurfacing Urmston / Davyhulme East

Broomfield Lane Victoria Road to Grove Road carriageway resurfacing Hale Central

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Unclassified roads

Gorse Drive Talbot Road to Gorse Avenue carriageway resurfacing Longford

Derbyshire Lane phase 1 (Park Rd to Moss Rd) carriageway resurfacing Stretford

Bowers Avenue whole length carriageway resurfacing Davyhulme West

Thirlmere Road whole length carriageway resurfacing Davyhulme West

Devon Road whole length kerb, fway & cway resurfacing Flixton

Parsonage Road whole length kerb, fway & cway resurfacing Flixton

Marshbrook Road whole length kerb, fway & cway resurfacing Davyhulme East

Heston Drive whole length kerb, fway & cway resurfacing Davyhulme East

Moorside Road Gleneagles Road to Norreys Avenue carriageway resurfacing Flixton / Davyhulme West

Wood Lane Partington Oak Road to Cedar Road carriageway resurfacing Bucklow St Martins

Worthington Avenue Partington whole length carriageway resurfacing Bucklow St Martins

Deansgate Lane Tannery Way to level crossing carriageway resurfacing Broadheath

North Vale Road whole length carriageway resurfacing Timperley

Rossmill Lane Carrwood to Chapel Lane carriageway resurfacing Hale Barns

Davenport Lane Atlantic Street to end carriageway resurfacing Broadheath

Green Lane North Wood Lane to Thorncroft Road carriageway resurfacing Village / Hale Barns

Corn Hey Road Woodhouse Lane to Braemar Drive carriageway resurfacing Broadheath

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APPENDIX C

Highway Preventative Maintenance 7 Year Rolling Programme

Year Preventative Maintenance Areas To Be Treated

Area 1 Area 2 Area 3

1 (2008/09) 19 2 10

2 (2009/10) 21 16 11

3 (2010/11) 3 15 20

4 (2011/12) 1 6 18

5 (2012/13) 4 9 14

6 (2013/14) 12 5 8

7 (2014/15) 13 17 7

Note: The seven year rolling programme is amended if a particular Ward does not have sufficient suitable areas of treatment to warrant work being carried out in that particular year. Wards that do not have sufficient suitable areas of treatment to warrant work being carried out in an identified year will be revisited in the following years as appropriate. Local areas of treatment are clustered, whenever possible, to ensure maximum efficiency of laying, which may mean that works stray across borders. Urgent works that are identified as part of the highway inspection process are also added to the programme.

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Key:

Area Ward

1 Altrincham

2 Ashton on Mersey

3 Bowdon

4 Broadheath

5 Brooklands

6 Bucklow-St. Martins

7 Clifford

8 Davyhulme East

9 Davyhulme West

10 Flixton

11 Gorse Hill

12 Hale Barns

13 Hale Central

14 Longford

15 Priory

16 St. Mary’s

17 Sale Moor

18 Stretford

19 Timperley

20 Urmston

21 Village

Trafford Council Highway Preventative Maintenance 7 Year Rolling Programme

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Highway Preventative Maintenance Programme 2014/15

Sale Moor Ward

2014/15 Programme For Preventative Revenue Treatment

Item No.

Site Footway Slurry Seal

Carriageway Micro Seal

1 Holy Grove 230m2

2 Broad Rd 9,900m2

3 Newby Drive 384m2 4 Bamber Avenue 720m2

5 Fraser Avenue 340m2 6 Redfern Avenue 340m2 7 Gatley Rd 1,500m2 8 Budworth Rd 600m2 1,900m2 9 Thelwall Rd 1,600m2 10 Sandbach Rd 330m2 2,700m2 11 Rostherne Rd 200m2 1,000m2 12 Croft Rd 810m2 2,000m2

13 Royton Ave 2,200m2 14 Chorley Rd 1,100m2 1,200m2

15 Kershaw Ave 1,000m2 500m2 16 Farndon Close 200m2 300m2 17 Mottrum Close 400m2

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Sale Moor Ward (Cont.)

Item No.

Site Footway Slurry Seal

Carriageway Micro Seal

18

Mere Close

400m2

19 Bedford Ave 200m2 20 Alderley Rd 2,500m2 21 Chelford Rd 1,000m2 800m2 22 Tabley Rd 300m2 23 Helsby Rd 1,900m2

24 Sealond Close 400m2 25 26 27 28 29 30

Pickmere Close Hoylake 900m2 Bebington Close Chinley Close 100m2 Conway Road Fairwell Drive 300m2

400m2 2,500m2 200m2

250m2 3,800m2

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Sale Ward (Cont.)

Item No.

Site Footway Slurry Seal Carriageway Micro Seal

31 Matlock Close 380m2 32 Arcadia Avenue 1,200m2 33 Wood Road 1,100m2 34 Beecles Road 800m2 35 Swaylands Road 600m2 Total Footway 14,834m2 Total C/Way Micro 36,650m2

Clifford Ward Ward

2014/15 Programme For Preventative Revenue Treatment

Item No.

Site Footway Slurry Seal

Carriageway Micro

1 Stamford St 1600m2

2 Shrewsbury St 4000m2

3 Chapel Lane 1100m2 4 Church St 900m2 1100m2

5 Wellington Rd 600m2 1000m2

Total Footway 1,500m2 Total C/Way Micro 8,800m2m2 Total Carriageway – 1,810m2

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Davyhulme Ward - Urgent works

2014/15 Programme For Preventative Revenue Treatment

Item No.

Site Footway Slurry Seal

Carriageway Micro

1 Queensway 1500m2 700m2

2 Lambourn Road Flixton

Total Footway 1,500m2

Total C/Way Micro 700m2

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Hale Central Ward 2014/15 Programme For Preventative Revenue Treatment

Item No.

Site C/Way MICRO F/Way

1 Stamford Park Rd 1500M2

2 School Rd 800m2 500m2

3 Charter Rd 1100m2 4 Cambridge Rd 600m2 1000m2

5 Bancroft Rd 400m2 1100m2 6 Grove Lane 3200m2

7 Westminister Rd 550m2 1200m2 8 Hermitage Rd 2200m2 4200m2 9 Lilac Rd 700m2 10 Egerton Rd 650m2

Total Footway 12,700m2

Total C/Way Micro 7,000m2

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APPENDIX D

Route Ward Area Road Total No. Units

61/70 Altirincham /Bowdon

On hold

The Downs 7

The Downs 4

Church Brow 5

East Downs Road, Bowdon 8

Heald Road, Bowdon 8

Total 32

67 Timperley

Holly Close 2

Glen Rise 2

Mottram Drive 1

Total 5

73 Bowdon Hill Rise 4

Total 4

9 Ashton on Mersey

Southern Road (col 8 - 13 only) 6

Beech Grove, Sale 7

Total 13

63 Village Ward Granville Road 6

Total 6

19 Broadheath Ainsdale Drive, Sale 4

Total 4

15 Brooklands

Beaufort Avenue, Sale 5

Heywood Road, Sale 4

Total 9

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Route Ward Area Road Total No. Units

10 Priory Cranford Avenue, Sale 3

Total 3

20 St Marys Drayton Close, Sale 5

Total 5

12 Sale Moor

Elgin Drive, Sale 4

Hart Avenue, Sale 4

Total 8

11 Sale Moor

Jackson St, Sale 3

Stoneyford Road, Sale 3

Sycamore St, Sale 8

Vale Avenue, Sale 3

Clarendon Road, Sale 13

Winsford Walk, Sale 1

Total 31

14 Brooklands

Princes Drive, Sale 6

Parkside Road, Sale 2

Total 8

17 Broadheath

Buckingham Grove, Timperley 4

Leys Road, Timperley 6

Marbury Drive, Timperley 3

Banbury Drive, Timperley 7

Ridley Drive, Timperley 3

Total 23

13 Sale Moor Boundary Grove, Sale 4

Total 4

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Route Ward Area Road Total No. Units

18 Broadheath Craven Drive 7

Total 7

16 Timperley Milton Drive, Timperley 2

Total 2