Agenda item

To discuss the highways arrangements for the forthcoming 2023/24 winter season.

To include Winter Equipment, Salt bin locations/filling and the gritting routes.

Maps of the routes and salt bin locations are attached.

This took place before the main meeting, with the Highway Wardens representing the parishes. Kevin Bridgwater and Kali Martin provided an update on the current position.

• There were no changes to the current gritting schedule, and these were as published on the map. (Circulated with agenda pack). During the last winter some of these routes had been gritted three times a day to ensure that bus routes and school/commuter roads were safe to travel. The Highways team recognised that weather events on Exmoor were exceptional for Somerset and would be taking the required mitigation to tackle this.

• A new Somerset Council Operative (Ollie Miller) was being employed to take responsibility for the auditing and checking of the Grit/Salt bins in each parish. He would check the locations, contents and refill them as required. It was very important that the Highways Team know where the new bins are going to be located so that nothing is missed. It was recommended that the operative was given the Highway Warden contact details so he could liaise directly with the parishes before visiting. This operation had already started in certain parts of Somerset and was being well received.

Bins would be re-filled if a severe weather event was forecast over the winter. If there was a requirement to refill sooner, then the parishes could report this via the Defects Portal.

It was also requested that parishes publicised the sensible spreading of the salt from the bins. Only a thin layer was required to ensure that the road was safe, and ensure the supply lasted through the winter. A copy of the poster/notice was requested from the Highways team so this could be placed inside the lid of the salt bin.

Other winter maintenance issues from parishes:-

• Clatworthy – The sunken roads need a higher verge cut to prevent the foliage from dropping onto the road. This pushes pedestrians into the centre of the road, and cars can only travel down the central carriageway. – Action – Can a map be provided demonstrating the areas concerned and where the longer/higher cut needs to be undertaken. If this could be uploaded to the portal it will be programmed into the cutting schedule.
• Upton – Stressed the importance of maintaining the Green Gritting routes to ensure that school buses can get through.
• Huishchampflower – the requirement for Ice Warning signs to warn motorists that ice is present. (Various options were discussed).
• Exton – Very important that the Green Route including Exton Hill is regularly gritted as this is the route for the school bus.
• Cutcombe – Clarity asked for on when the hedges can be cut and whether a 2^nd cut will be made. If it is a safety issue, then landowners have a responsibility to cut back sight lines. This should not be done in bird nesting season March-September, and all reasonable efforts need to be made from an ecology perspective. Most hedges that get reported to Highways do get attended to in the first few weeks of September. It was requested that a 6ft flail is used to ensure a longer/higher cut. Milestone is the contractor for SC Highways and will continue to be so for the winter of 2023/24.  The contract is being tendered at the present time, and a new contractor will be employed from April 2024.
• Porlock – Questions were raised following the re-surfacing of the High Street and the reinstatement of the No-Unloading kerb markings. It was explained that this was just refreshing the existing marking and would have been undertaken as part of the project. The parish council were aggrieved at the lack of communication and consultation. There is a requirement to consult with the public if there was a request to remove the Traffic Regulation Order. This would need to be escalated to the Traffic Management Team.
• Timberscombe – the drains that were flooding have been jetted.
• Winsford – The work at Yellowcombe Leat remains outstanding. It has yet to be established who owns it, despite repeated calls to Somerset Council and the Somerset Rivers Authority.  Cllr Nicholson said she will continue to investigate.
• Withypool – The drains at Hawkridge (Kali Martin to follow up). Portford Bridge has been damaged. It was asked that this be reported to the Bridges team at bridges@somerset.gov.uk so that the team could investigate.

Further Highways Issues were picked up in the main part of the meeting under Item 7.