Agenda item

Officers from the Regeneration, Transport and Highways Division will be present to discuss issues around road repairs in Stoneygate.

Jeff Miller, Director Regeneration, Transport and Highways and Martin Fletcher, Group Manager, Highway Maintenance attended the meeting and gave a presentation on road repairs in Stoneygate Ward. A copy of the presentation is appended.

In summary it was reported that some 77% of roads in the City required some work and the City Council had tried to identify additional funding and an additional £1 million had been confirmed the previous week. The funding available citywide was reported as follows: -

            £700k             - Reactive repairs

            £207.3k          - Winter damage emergency money

            £540k             - LTP funding re-allocation

            £525k             - Additional City Council funding

Within Stoneygate ward it was anticipated that £300k would be allocated to repair damaged roads. An inspection of all local streets had taken place and a suggested short-listed  of streets to be repaired was reported as follows: -

Rowsley Street

Sawley Street

Glossop Street

Evington Road

Linton Street

Osmaston Road

Hazelwood Road

Kedleston Road

Evington Drive

St. Stephen’s Road

Stoughton Drive North

Bartholomew Street

Highway Road

Officers were looking at the most cost-effective repair methods that could be used and it was stated that should funding be left over then some work could be undertaken on as many streets as was possible. The views of the public present were sought.

Questions

i)          A member of the public questioned why Kingston Road was not included on the short list of streets.

            Martin stated that it was a case of prioritising the condition of streets from very bad to bad, also taking into account the streets from where most complaints had been received. It was hoped that some funding could be kept back to enable some patching work to be carried out on other streets in the area.

ii)                  A member of the public stated that Kingston Road was in a badcondition and questioned when the next funding stream would become available to repair it.

Jeff stated that highway maintenance was currently funded by the Local Transport Plan (LTP) and the current LTP funding finished in March 2011. Negotiations were taking place with the current Government regarding the next LTP and it was expected that less funding would be made available, hence fewer major schemes, although it was hoped that a similar amount would be made available for Highways Maintenance that also included the spend for footpaths and drains.

iii)        The Chair stated that people who had raised concerns expected timescales and it was felt that a better job could have been made of conveying information to the public, hence the frustrations.

            This comment was noted.

iv)        A member of the public asked the following questions: -

a)     Leicester was trying to reduce the number of cars entering the City and also encourage the use of cycles. The potholes reported could be lethal for cyclists.

Jeff stated that there had been an increase in cycling in the City and the Council was anxious to encourage cycling. Repairs to make the roads safer for cyclists would be addressed.

b)     What options were there for reducing the costs of road repairs through the procurement process.

Martin stated that the City Council’s Regeneration and Transport task Group were to look at the procurement process and officers were looking in detail at various costs and methods used to repair roads with a view to finding alternatives. Jeff stated that he would be happy to bring comparative figures, together with comparisons to the private sector, back to this meeting. The Chair stated that he would like to see such figures.

v)         It was questioned whether the 8 worst streets quoted at the meeting was the final selection for urgent attention.

            Martin stated that the list represented the work that could be undertaken with the available funding. Within a couple of weeks more detailed costings would be available and it might be possible that additional streets could be tackled.

            It was then stated that this issue was a major issue and it was suggested that a programme of patching works be drawn up in consultation with residents so that they felt that something was being done.

            Martin stated that a certain amount of funding was ‘ring fenced’ to enable the urgent repairs to be tackled. It was anticipated that a ‘Condition Survey’ would be carried out on all highways in the City over the next 12 months so that an assessment could be made of how much it would cost to bring all roads up to a reasonable standard. Officers totally appreciated the condition of roads in the City and they were attempting to do something about it.

            RESOLVED:

                                    that the information be noted.