Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Customer Service, Welfare, and the Public Realm considered the report which made recommendations for investment in Haringey’s highways infrastructure during 2022/23 and particularly covered footway, carriageway and street lighting assets, as well as providing details of some traffic schemes. The report also provided an update on the insourcing of highways reactive maintenance.

Investment in Haringey’s local highways network was critical to delivering the Council’s ambitions to make Haringey a better and safe place to live, encouraging growth and attracting investment, and creating opportunities that all can share in.

The investment recommended in this report had been identified to meet the Borough Planobjectives and the Transport Strategy. The key objectives within the Transport Strategy were as follows:

·         A public transport network that is better connected, has greater capacity and is more accessible, supporting our growth ambitions;

·         A well-maintained road network that is less congested and safer;

·         Active travel the easier choice, with more people choosing to travel by walking or cycling;

·         Improved air quality and a reduction in carbon emissions from transport.

Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of this report set out the recommended investment and, where relevant, expected funding streams for 2022/23 for various works to highways infrastructure assets and on the local highway network.

The plan – which covered a number of service areas – would be collectively referred to as the Highways and Street Lighting Investment Plan (HSLIP).

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED

1.    To approve the investment of £8.754m in highway assets for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix 1 of this report;

2.    To approve the investment of £1.3m in lighting assets for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix 2 of this report;

3.    To approve and note the investment of £0.350m in traffic schemes for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix 3 of this report;

4.    To delegate decisions relating to highways infrastructure asset maintenance, and highways and traffic improvement scheme design and implementation to the Head of Highways and Parking;

5.    To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to carry out any required consultation in accordance with Appendix 4 and to make any necessary traffic management orders, having had due regard to any prior consultation, to give effect to those schemes;

6.    To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to consider any objections and representations on highways and traffic improvement schemes and to report back to the Cabinet Member for Customer Service, Welfare and the Public Realm if there are significant or substantial objections or concerns raised; and

7.    To note the progress made on the insourcing of highways reactive maintenance.

Reasons for decision

This report sets out the 2022/23 investment in the Council’s local highways infrastructure, the improvements that are planned, the programme for the future potential insourcing of highways reactive maintenance and how these activities align with the Council’s strategic objectives.

The report provides detail of the funding arrangements and seeks authority to proceed with the development and delivery of these projects, subject to appropriate consultation.

Alternative options considered

Allocated funding is insufficient to cover all existing maintenance needs, so the proposals prioritise the essential works that need to be delivered. The 2022/23 investment plan has been informed by the Council’s Transport Strategy, the Local Investment Plan (LIP) - which involved consultation with key stakeholders - and the emerging, updated Highways Asset Management Plan.

The maintenance works programmes are prioritised through visual inspections and highway condition surveys by officers, and concerns raised by Members and by the wider community.

The lantern and column replacement programme for street lighting is developed around electrical and structural condition surveys, scouting, road hierarchy, visual inspections, lighting levels, and regeneration all to ensure that investment is targeted where most needed.