Agenda item

The LCN were informed about the possibility of starting a Highway Working Group, which enables them to have conversations with Highways about upcoming works, issues in the area and planning for the future, as well as how this links in with the highway steward scheme and the flexibility of the options available to them.

During the discussion, the following points were raised:

• For the pilot in Exmoor that was funded by Somerset Council, do we know the cost? The cost of the working group is only a parish hosting a meeting once a quarter and teas and coffees.
• Exmoor are likely to pause the highway steward – do we know why? The funding from Somerset Council is coming to an end, they are looking at other sources of funding but a final decision has not been made yet.
• What does the £50,000 budget for a highway steward include? The budget includes the person working as a highway steward and accompany resources to do maintenance on the roads. They can cut back hedgerows, do enhanced grass cutting, address surface water, and straightforward gully clearance. For more significant works, Highways are putting together a price list.
• There’s only one solution – the highway steward – being offered, so it is difficult to compare the value of it. That is the benefit of the working group, it provides the opportunity to explore other solutions.
• Roads are in a very poor state and are deteriorating, and need serious maintenance before they can look at options like a Highway Steward. The £50,000 budget for them won’t go far enough.
• When there are diversions on major roads, they lanes become blocked or impassable as they are used as alternatives. It is a safety issue.
• North Petherton has included in their budget a further £160,000 partly dedicated to road works and general grass cutting. They have not yet commissioned a steward or decided exactly what the money will be used for.
• A working group for interested parishes will make sure there is value for money. It would give the opportunity to get into the issues in depth and why they haven’t been resolved, and potentially further explore the highway steward scheme.
• Have met highways stewards looking at drainage issues reported years ago, but there is a lack of funding. Unless road issues are a safety issue, there is no chance of them being addressed.
• Farmers already have the equipment, could they be paid to improve roads? Limited budget would make this a strain too.
• Last week two cars were overturned on the A38 through North Petherton, and as there are frequent motorway closures where the A38 is the diversion it creates difficulties, particularly at narrow chokepoints. Is the Department for Transport responsible? No, it is a Somerset Highways road. We are hearing from Monkton Heathfield that a downgrade of that road is inevitable.
• Durston would want to be involved with this as they also have roads, but their precept is very small.
• Kingston St Mary would be interested in the working group, it’s an opportunity to develop a mutual understanding between highways and communities perspective, understand the criteria for prioritisation and what are the challenges?
• The Institute of Civil Engineers have highlighted the impact of climate change on road infrastructure – has already caused increased costs as the impact of water and extreme weather is very damaging on the roads. Every time there is a flood episode, more damage is done. In Kingston there are narrow lanes with ditches and banks on the side, tractors going down them causing damage.
• Is there more traffic in Broomfield due to Hinkley Point? We think so but we don’t have the numbers.

LCN members were asked to contact Emmaline Kay in order to register their interest to join the highway maintenance working group.