Innovative road solutions needed

11-MAR-10

Issued by: Jeanette Hedley

North Tyneside Council is to set up a new cross party working group to explore how it can improve its highway maintenance and address a backlog of repairs.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet as members learned the extreme winter weather has created 3,000 pot-holes in the borough's highways - and this could increase further as the damage to roads continue to be reviewed.

A comprehensive programme to tackle the full extent of highway needs across the borough - including repairing and resurfacing many of its roads - could cost the council in the region of £10 million for the next ten years, the meeting was told.

An average road resurfacing scheme can cost in the region of £15,000 for an estate road.

Elected Mayor, Mrs Linda Arkley wants to establish a new working group, with representatives from each of the political parties, together with officers and a member of the frontline highways team to examine all aspects of the condition of the borough's roads, under the chairmanship of Councillor Ed Hodson.

The group will review the council's response to the pot-hole issue, but also explore new and innovative ways of tackling the poor state of many of the borough's roads, which are a major source of concern for many residents.

Councillor Ed Hodson, Cabinet member for the Environment said: "This working group will bring together all political groups, officers and a representative of the highways workforce to not just review how we are responding to the growing number of potholes, but also to look at longer term solutions.

"It may be that we can find better ways of doing things that can help bring both our main road arteries and our estate roads up to a better standard within the resources we have available."

North Tyneside Council is currently spends around £2.5million per year on highways maintenance.

The meeting of the Cabinet agreed it would earmark a further £350,000 from its Roads and Pavement Recovery Fund to address ongoing pothole repairs.

North Tyneside Council is responsible for the maintenance of 820km of roads and 1700km of footpaths
In the report to the meeting Derek Smith, the Council's Senior Manager for Engineering, Design and Partnering confirmed that by the end of February more than 2000 potholes had to be filled across the borough, using up approximately 91 tonnes of material as a result of the worst weather for over 30 years.

The exceptional conditions caused an unexpected amount of damage to roads and footpaths, both in North Tyneside and nationally, as the constant expansion and contraction of frost and ice within the fabric of the highway surface accelerated the deterioration in the road materials.
Initially 800 potholes were recorded in surveys in early January - and the council's frontline highways team were diverted to tackle the problem, doubling the pothole repair team.

And £50,000 earmarked by the Elected Mayor enabled immediate urgent repairs to be carried out.
However, since the snow and ice coverage has melted the number of road problems have continued to increase, with more coming in on a daily basis.

The number of pothole complaints from residents has increased by 40 percent, compared to last year and there has also been a significant increase in insurance claims submitted against the council.

The classified and distributor roads are the most badly affected by the winter damage as these roads cope with the heaviest traffic demands.

A Highways Asset Management Plan is currently being drafted to assess the full cost of the highways maintenance needed and an application has been made to the government for additional emergency funding.