The Committee received a report setting out the approved 2022/2023 Annual Status Options Reports (ASOR) for carriageways, pavements and structures and gave an update on the proposed inspection regime for the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) in Reading.

The report explained that the Asset Management tool was used by the Council to report on the condition, the asset value and future funding requirements of the public highway maintainable structures, carriageways and pavement assets.  The ASORs included the historical investment in maintaining strategic highways and assets and calculated future funding requirements. The tool provided a clear picture of funding levels to improve areas of most need.  The approved ASORs were appended to the report as followes:

·         Appendix 1- Carriageways

·         Appendix 2 – Pavements/footways

·         Appendix 3 - Structures

It was noted that the Residential Unclassified Carriageway ASOR showed a significant improvement.  The Council had achieved 80% good condition (green) following the £9m Council funded Residential Roads & Pavements 3-year investment programme (2020/23), an improvement from 35% good condition (green) prior to the investment.   Subsequently this brought down the number of customer complaints relating to potholes by 44% over the last three years.

The Council had also committed to further investment of £8m over 5-years to further improve the network.  This additional funding would also allow a trial to support more cost effect solutions for road resurfacing to provide more preventative rather than reactive measures.

The Committee were also provided with information on Public Rights of Way (PRoW).  The Council had a duty under the Highways Act 1980 to ensure that access was maintained and to ensure that PRoWs were kept clear and unobstructed. The Highways team ensured that the PRoWs were inspected on a cyclical basis and that maintenance and clearing works were carried out as necessary by adjacent landowners.  The proposal was to align the PRoW inspections with the public highway inspections, to be carried out by the Highway Inspectors to help maximise resources.  The inspection results would be brought to a future Committee to set out the hierarchical status of the PRoWs and the proposed future inspection regime. A list of all PRoWs was provided in Appendix 4 to the report.

Resolved:

(1)        That the approved 2022/2023 Annual Status Options Reports (ASOR) for carriageways, pavements and structures be endorsed;

(2)        That the proposed inspection regime for the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) be endorsed.