Commission on Improving the Delivery of Transport and Pedestrian Infrastructure Coordination and Planning Ensuring Parity Ron Weetman - Assistant Head of Streetscape Dave Carr – Highways Manager Dave Elliott – Highways and Transportation Design Manager Antony Charlton – Utilities & Street works Manager

Agenda Introducing the team Introduction Why we have to do it This means that…. What we are doing to comply Room for improvement Ensuring Parity How do we demonstrate this Room for improvement Round Up Any questions

The Local Authority has a statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways maintainable at public expense. The Local Authority has a statutory duty under Section 59 of the New Roads and Street Works Act The street authority shall use their best endeavours to co-ordinate the execution of works of all kinds including their own works and those of other authorities. In the interests of safety, to minimise inconvenience to users of the street and to protect the structure of the street Network Management Duty under Section 16 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to manage their road network with a view to achieving, so far as may be reasonably practicable having regard to their other obligations, policies and objectives, the following objectives— (a) securing the expeditious movement of traffic on the authority’s road network; and (b) facilitating the expeditious movement of traffic on road networks for which another authority is the traffic authority. (c) the avoidance, elimination or reduction of road congestion or other disruption to the movement of traffic on their road network or a road network for which another authority is the traffic authority; Essentially, “making the best use of existing roads for the benefit of all road users” and to “assist neighbouring Councils with their plans”. Coordination and Planning Why we have to do it

We have to consider anything that effects the flow of traffic and pedestrians –Road and footpath works- festival events –Utility works- hoardings –Skips- tree cutting –Great North Run- Scaffolding –Tyne Tunnel 2 construction This means that….

What we are doing to comply Statutory appointment of a Traffic Manager Cabinet approval on 11 th June 2008 of Network Management Plan Internally held Network co-ordination meetings quarterly Utility co-ordination meeting held every three months to review works programmes and conflicts North Eastern Region Traffic Managers Group meetings held quarterly to ensure a strategic approach North East Highways Authority Utility Co-ordination meetings held quarterly in Durham Utility Companies annual outline programme of works to identify potential areas of conflict Fortnightly workload programme meetings Asset Management Plan being produced Provision of up to date Street works information on the council website and in house software

BVPI 100 – Traffic disruption “Number of days of temporary traffic controls or road closure on traffic sensitive streets or the road was closed, due to local authority road works or utility street works per km of traffic sensitive streets” –Working on weekends and over night to minimise traffic disruption –Over time implications on costs What we are doing to comply

NI 167 Congestion- average journey time per mile during the morning peak –Changed bin emptying times on Boldon Lane –Park Road, Jarrow. STC and two utility companies carried out work on same Sunday. Demonstration of effective works planning to minimise disruption. –Proposed “trench sharing” exercise between Water and Gas Companies in the Marsden Area

Redcar Terrace, West Boldon –Footpath laid and then lighting columns replaced in the same week Jarrow Road. –Identified on BVPI survey as requiring resurfacing. Northern Gas Networks unwilling to carry out major repairs to old gas main before we carried out resurfacing works. 12 months later they had further gas leaks leaving scarring to the new road surface A194 fast lane closure in rush hour –Closed to carry out tree pruning to central reservations. Caused tailbacks to Whitemare Pool Room for improvement

Improved communication –Letters / news letter advising Members of upcoming schemes Improved co-ordination –Increase resource to carry out more inspections –To deal with Utility companies, external organisations and in house departments to effectively coordinate works and in turn reduce disruption.

What is parity? –Treating ourselves the same as other Public Utility companies Why do we have to? –A statutory duty under the Traffic Management Act 2004 What does it mean? –Carry out site inspections of our own works –Raising street works notices Utility companies have been doing this for 15 years and still not getting it right, we are on a steep learning curve Ensuring Parity

Identify overstays, fines and Fixed Penalty Offences Sample inspections on same basis –10% at each stage and 3 stages during the works

Major Works on annual programme and the following require 3 months notice Traffic Calming Slurry sealing Cycle Lanes Bridge repairs Anti-skid Landslip New Footpaths Retaining Wall Traffic Signals Street Lighting Schemes Pedestrian Refuge Surface Dressing Road maintenance Schemes Footway maintenance schemes

Standard Works 10 day notice –CAF Environmental schemes i.e. lay bys –Pre-Patch Surface Dressing –Drainage –Other Patching –Fences, Walls and Barriers –Tactile Paving –Rechargeable Works i.e. reinstatement works as a result of Road Traffic Accidents e.g. pedestrian guard rails, bollards –Reactive maintenance schemes due to unforeseen circumstances –Traffic Bollards

Minor Works – 3 days notice –Erecting signs –HRA patching –Road Studs –Vehicle Crossovers –Loop cutting –Bus Stops –Bus Shelters –Footpath posts

Allow flexibility for early starts to Utility companies the same as our direct work force Not formally recorded at present KPI in development for future with other local authorities How do we demonstrate this?

Room for Improvement The authority appointed a Utilities Coordinator in December 2006 Identified need for an additional inspector No permanent full time inspector in post Permanent position to be established from April 2009 with increased financial support Will also cover other highways inspection duties i.e. skip permits