The Corporate Director for Communities presented a report to obtain Cabinet approval for a revised safety inspection regime based on the recommendations of the UK Roads Liaison Group update of its Code of Practice, and an all Wales review and standardisation by County Surveyors’ Society Wales (CSSW) to align with an all Wales approach to Highway Maintenance.

The Corporate Director for Communities outlined the highway asset which BCBC, as Highway Authority, had a duty to maintain. Regular inspections were carried out to ensure, as far as reasonably practical, that the highway asset was safe for use. In order to facilitate a nationally consistent response CSSW reviewed the Code of Practice and published a risk based methodology for authorities to follow which aligned with the practices set out in the code. Officers assessed the CSSW Risk Based Approach methodology and associated assessment tools and undertook a risk-based review of current BCBC highway asset hierarchy, inspection and repair regimes.

The Corporate Director for Communities outlined the differences between the existing hierarchy, inspection and repair regimes and the risk-based approach, identifying where changes could be implemented to align with the CSSW methodology. She explained the defect intervention levels as shown in appendix A to the report and explained that whilst the revised code would have implications for additional inspections, it was considered that the current staffing structure would be able to manage the increase in

frequencies and it was not envisaged that the revised frequencies and intervention criteria would have an increase demand on the levels of repair works required on footways and carriageways over current resources, however this would be monitored.

The Cabinet Member for Communities referred to the 799km of carriageway within the Borough and welcomed the standardising of the inspection regime across Wales. He thought there was an anomaly with the new category CH5 where inspections were reactive compared to little used rural footways which were inspected annually. The Corporate Director for Communities replied that this was a valid point and they would inspect both annually. 

The Deputy Leader asked what action would be taken if work undertaken by contractors was not of an adoptable standard. The Corporate Director for Communities replied that following completion of the work there would be an inspection to sign off the work. There had been occasions where the work was not to the standard required and the contractor would be asked to redo the work. There was also a defects liability period whereby if there were any defects within the first 3 months, they could ask the contractor to fix the issues. This work would be corrected at no extra cost to the authority.  

The Cabinet Member for Education asked how average daily flow was calculated. The Corporate Director for Communities replied that they used a wire across the road connected to a box chained to a street light. 

RESOLVED:          Cabinet approved implementation of the new safety inspection frequencies and defect intervention criteria.