Highway maintenance plan

8.1 General

The UK sustainable development strategy is described in Securing the Future (DEFRA 2005) which includes priority areas for shared action as :-

• sustainable consumption and production
• climate change and energy
• natural resource protection and environmental enhancement
• sustainable communities

A procedure has been developed for sustainable development in highway maintenance. The sustainability core objective of highway maintenance is further defined in economic, social and environmental components:-

• minimising costs over time (whole life costs)
• maximising community value
• maximising environmental contribution

In the context of Best Value, it is important to set standards at levels which are sustainable and appropriate for the circumstances. Specifications should therefore be 'fit for purpose', being carefully considered and not set too high.

Notwithstanding the above, technical specifications and guidance are paramount in ensuring quality. Consistency in application will assist in supporting continuous improvement and providing a consistent and reliable base for benchmarking.

Materials Products and Treatments

Consideration shall be given to the preservation of the heritage of the locality by the selection of materials, products and treatments that reduce clutter, coordinate design and to preserve local character.

8.2 National highway sector schemes

All highway maintenance operations should be subject to a quality assurance regime through quality management systems. However, compliance with quality management systems does not necessarily guarantee quality materials, treatments or processes.

In order to address the issue of quality, the Highways Agency, CSS and TAG have developed a number of National Highway Sector Schemes (NHSS) which are intended to improve the consistency of the products certified under existing schemes and ensure that they satisfy all current purchaser requirements.

The Highways Agency, CSS and TAG have set up the Highway Authorities Product Approval Scheme (HAPAS) which provides a means for manufacturers and suppliers to obtain approval to the use of their proprietary products within agreed performance criteria.

8.3 Technical specifications and guidance

Sustainability issues must be considered when procuring highway maintenance works following National and EU directives.

8.4 Quality management and sector schemes

All service delivery procurement will encompass the requirement to include best value, quality assurance and equal opportunity to the required standard. Where possible the use of Framework Agreements' which comply fully with the above conditions shall be utilised in the interest of best value and to deliver Gershon savings.

Procurement of materials and treatments utilise, where available, NHSS that are administered by United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Proprietary products are procured by the use of the Highway Authorities Product Approval Scheme (HAPAS).

8.5 Environmental management

Maximisation of the environmental contribution made to highway maintenance is a fundamental requirement of highway service delivery contracts. Service deliverers should include in their Environmental Management Systems procedures to address the following environmental issues:-

• Noise and Vibration
• Dust, Emissions and Odours
• Flora and Fauna
• Ground conditions
• Water courses
• Material Use
• Waste
• Local Community
• Landscape
• Archaeology

Maintaining For Noise Reduction

Road traffic noise is a major environmental consideration. Whenever major maintenance schemes involving renewal or resurfacing are planned, consideration is given to a lower noise option.

The design and construction of highway maintenance including the contractors depot activities are subject to noise appraisal to ensure mitigation.

Materials Utilisation

Highway maintenance consumes significant quantities of materials. Increased scope for innovation is apparent.

The authority, its partners and agents, seek to maximise the following: -

• Use of recycled materials.
• Use of local materials to minimise construction costs.
• Sustainable purchasing considerations, minimising use of primary aggregates.
• Economies of scale by collaborative purchasing.

Waste Management and Recycling

The landfill tax was first introduced in October 1996 to encourage more sustainable disposal of waste. Minimisation of disposal to landfill from highway maintenance schemes clearly supports the Councils objectives. To accomplish this, the following practices shall be considered where practicable: -

• Retain, recycle or re-use materials on site.
• Maximise the value of the re-used material.
• Purchase recycled products wherever possible.
• WEEE Directive — safe disposal of electrical waste.

Pollution Control

Avoidance of air, water and ground pollution should comply with statutory requirements. The environmental inconvenience to the community shall be considered for all highway maintenance activities.

Temporary and permanent storage areas shall be subject to environmental appraisal to ensure that pollution is prevented.

Nature Conservation and Biodiversity

The Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act, which came into force on 1 October 2006, placed a duty on all public authorities to have regard to conserving biodiversity in exercising their functions. The duty is set out in Section 40 and states that: "Every public authority must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity."

Road verges can have high value for nature conservation both in the species they contain and in acting as a link between other habitats. Where it does not conflict with other objectives or involve additional cost, road verges should be managed to maximise their nature conservation value. A Biodiversity Action Plan has been drawn up for road verges throughout the Tees Valley.

8.6 Environmental sustainability

The range of issues relevant to the concept of environmental sustainability include:

• noise reduction
• materials utilisation
• waste management and recycling
• pollution control
• nature conservation and biodiversity
• environmental intrusion.

Noise reduction is a major environmental consideration and a specific issue in the Ten Year Plan for Transport wherein the Government intends to introduce low noise surfacing with the objective of reducing traffic noise for three million people living within 600m of trunk roads. In addition, there is to be a new national noise strategy as well as an EU Directive on environmental noise and these will include road traffic noise.

Accordingly, whenever running surfaces are to be renewed or resurfaced during highway maintenance activities, the option of a lower noise surface should be evaluated, and in cases where there would be a significant benefit to the local community they should be carefully considered.

Materials utilisation is an important consideration for highway maintenance as substantial quantities of materials are required given the scope of annual activity.

Policies on materials purchasing and utilisation which may have cost implications need to be balanced against the environmental benefits likely to be achieved. However, wherever practicable, the use of the following should be maximised:

• products made from recycled materials to develop and support local markets
• local materials to minimise transport costs, support the local economy, and to maintain local character.

Waste management and recycling strategies should apply to all highway maintenance activities. Wherever practicable, these should seek to:

• retain and re-use materials on site in order to avoid environmental implications of transport and disposal
• maximise the value of the re-used material rather than utilise for low grade fill
• make use of "recycle in place" processes in appropriate circumstances
• ensure that any material that cannot be re-used or recycled is disposed of to licensed sites in accordance with statutory requirements. This will include silt and other solids arising from gully emptying and cleansing of oil interceptors.

Pollution control needs to take account of statutory requirements and advice from the Environment Agency and the Councils' Environmental Health Departments as appropriate. Reference can also be made to the 'Prevention of Pollution Guidelines" published by the Environment Agency.

Pollution can take the form of noise, air or water and should be mitigated wherever practicable. Where appropriate, this could include:

• phasing works to avoid sensitive periods and potentially difficult weather conditions
• siting of storage areas should take account of the possibility of pollution particularly those with the potential to pollute watercourses or groundwater
• diesel storage areas should have procedures for dealing with spills.

Nature conservation and biodiversity management requires specialist advice. Highway verges and soft landscaping need to achieve a balance between safety, amenity, nature conservation and value for money and this could be performed through biodiversity action plans and landscape management plans.

Certain named species and habitats are protected under UK and EC legislation and all highway maintenance works must comply with these requirements. Where statutory protected sites are within or adjacent to the highway boundary, advice should be sought from Natural England. Where Local Wildlife Sites or protected species are within or adjacent to the highway boundary, advice should be sought from the Council's Ecologist.

In the management of highway verges, consideration should be given to the following:

• balancing the need to preserve road safety with the need to preserve the natural habitat requirements in the vicinity of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or a Local Wildlife Site
• establishing roadside nature reserves where suitable sites exist
• areas of verge with specific planting that can be regarded as conservation areas where no routine cutting is to be carried out
• the timing of cutting operations that take account of the flowering and seeding of wild flower plant species
• management of trees in urban areas that take account of landscaping and environmental considerations.

Environmental intrusion is an issue that should be considered at all times. It reflects the environmental awareness of the service which should be taken into account as part of the planning conditions or operational requirements. Circumstances which can lead to environmental intrusion include:

• location, design, maintenance and operation of storage areas and depots or compounds.
• poorly managed materials and temporary chipping storage areas that can become illegal waste dumps
• excessive and redundant signing clutter
• perceived light pollution in respect of illuminated signs or street lighting