Agenda item

Progress Report on Potholes

Presentation on progress to be provided

Minutes:

Regarding potholes the Committee had requested an update on progress, the impact of additional funding and new equipment. Members had also requested an update on response times, repeat visits and an update on the HAMS project and the 'Report It' website.

 

The Highways Team was recovering from the huge backlog of defects as a result of the harsh winter. At the peak the team had up to 45 two person teams fixing potholes this winter and spring.  These teams were district based but were a county wide resource.

 

The use of funding was reported to members to fix potholes that met intervention levels and to undertake minor repair works, using spray injection patching in areas which may not have reached intervention levels but were likely to deteriorate in the foreseeable future. Members felt that the intervention levels should be revisited as they did not seem appropriate.

 

Members were advised that some of the additional resources had been utilised to fund spray injection patching to repair potholes on a find and fix basis and to target areas where Highways had become aware of potholes through inspections and public reports. Up to 8 machines were in use on Lancashire's roads and this was the largest number compared with other authorities. The quality and productivity of the repairs was good. The process was now reducing the number of potholes that were being recorded during routine inspections and highway inspectors had noticed that the condition of the network had improved due to the implementation of spray injection patching works.

 

Regarding response times, it was reported that LCC had adopted a standard response time for repairs of 20 working days. Highway safety defects were regularly monitored. The Committee was informed that the percentage of repairs in the 17/18 financial year was down on the previous year. Members requested greater detail on response times especially around the geographical spread. The Highways Team informed the Committee that they would have a better picture when the pothole policy went into the HAMS system on 26 July 2018.

 

In terms of the drop in performance, Members were advised that this was partly a result of the prolonged wet and cold winter which had stretched resources. Difficulty was also experienced with the new HAMS system and some loss in functionality in organising work. Work needed to be done with the system and deployment of staff particularly to ensure the efficient allocation of defect repair work to repair teams and to avoid multiple reporting of the same defect falsely increasing the total recorded and having a negative impact on reported performance. There was a new project underway to establish HAMS system process improvements. LCC was adapting the HAMS system to fit its own needs. Service performance was being closely monitored by highway service management and the ongoing training of highway operatives and office based staff and system improvements should improve performance for the current year. The implementation of the new Highway Safety Inspection policy, approved by Cabinet, would support improved performance.

 

Regarding repeat visits, Members stated that plugging was an unsatisfactory way of repairing potholes. They were informed that the Highways Team was now using a better quality binder for plugging and this would help the plugs adhere better.  Analysis of areas of repeat visits were used to develop programmes of work to tackle these roads and funding had been allocated for this purpose in 2018/19.

 

The 'Report It' site had been redesigned as a result of feedback from county councillors and the public. Members agreed that the terminology on the 'Report It' website needed to be reconsidered.

 

Concerns were raised about the backlog of long term defects and the Committee was reassured that the Highways Team would follow these up. Regarding the delivery programme, the Highways Team stated that it planned to deliver a much bigger programme with its own resources and external resources for the financial year 2018/19. Modern technology and new materials meant works could be completed much quicker.

 

Resolved: That the report presented be noted.