Effective Road and Traffic Management

Written evidence from Nottinghamshire County Council (ETM 56)

A review of Highway Maintenance was carried out by the County Council’s Scrutiny Committee in July 2010. This has identified that excavation and reinstatement of the highway by utility companies causes long term damage to the structure of the highway which leads to premature maintenance needs, resulting in an increase in disruption to the road user and the cost of maintenance falling to the highway authority.

This was identified in evidence to the Transport Select Committee in 2002 by the National Street Works Highways Group. Subsequent research by the CSS has been presented to the relevant government departments and to HAUC(UK). This contributed to the creation of primary legislation to address this matter, through the addition provisions within the NRSWA 1991 (by virtue of TMA 2004, s55, 56, 57).

Despite the clear acknowledgement of the long term damage caused by this type of activity the relevant sections of the primary legislation have not been brought into force or associated regulations developed. We believe that clear proposals should be established for bringing these provisions into force.

It is imperative to recognise that the development of this legislation under which utilities companies must pay for the cost of reducing the lifespan of the highway by trenching work must operate as an extension to the current two or three year guarantee scheme.

June 2011