Highway Asset Management Plan 2012 to 2017

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Contents Page

Blank page .…………………………………………………………...............……………..3

Executive Summary ………………………………………………………………………..4

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations …………………..…………………..….…….….5

Part 1 – Policy Statement

Introduction ………………………………………………………………….…..….…..... 7

Work Undertaken to Date …………………………………………………….……………8

Assets Covered …………………………………………………………….…….….……..8

ICT Systems Required to Support the HAMP ……………………….……....…….…..11

Value of the Highway Assets …………………………………….……………..…….…12

Investment in the Highway Network …………………………….………………………12

Customers and Key Stakeholders …………………………….………………...……...12

Levels of Service …………………………………………………..………………...……13

Data Collection and Management ……………………………..………………..………13

Life Cycle Works Planning ……………………………………..……..……..…….…….14

Forward Works Programme ………………………………..…………………...….……16

Risk Management ………………………………………..…………………………….…16

Links to Other Plans and Strategies …………………...……..….……………..………17

Measuring Performance ……………………………………………..………….….…….17

Monitoring and Review of the HAMP ……………………………..……………….……18

Annual Information Report to Cabinet ……………………………..……………...……18

Part 2 – Working Document

Introduction …………………………………………………………….……….……….…21

Overview of Plans for the 2012/13 Financial Year …………….…….………………. 21

ICT Development Plan ………………………………………….…...……………..…….22

Asset Valuation Plan ………………………………………........………………..………22

Highway Network Investment Plan …………………………....………………..…….. 24

Proposed Levels of Service ……………………………….…………………….…….…26

Customer Engagement Strategy ……………………………………….…..…….….….28

Data Collection and Management Plan ……………………………....……..…..……..28

Works Programme - Planned Capital Road Resurfacing …………….……..….….…30

Works Programme - Reactive Highway Maintenance ………………………....……. 31

Works Programme - Planned Revenue Highway Maintenance ……....….…..….….31

Works Programme - Structures Capital Schemes ……………………….…........…. 31

Works Programme - Structures Revenue ………………………….……….….…….. 33

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Skid Resistance Policy ………………………………………………………..……….…33

Risk Management Plan ……………………………………………….……….….……...34

Proposed Performance Measures ………………………………….........…....….……34

Part 3 - Appendix

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Executive Summary

In December 2006 the Council commenced the development of its Highway Asset

Management Plan (referred to hereafter as the HAMP). The production of a HAMP is considered best practice and is also a Government expectation. It identifies the

optimal allocation of resources for the management, operation, preservation and enhancement of the highway infrastructure to meet the needs of current and future customers.

North Tyneside’s HAMP will provide a framework for the Council to manage the highway network in the most efficient way. Good information is the cornerstone of an

effective asset management plan. If we “know” the asset we can maintain it efficiently and extend its life.

During the last few years the Council’s highway engineering teams have been

gathering the data required to build up a detailed picture of the overall highway asset and have also developed the ICT systems that are required to support the HAMP.

This document represents the final stage of the HAMP project and it sets out the Council’s future policy for highway asset management and the levels of service we are aiming to achieve. The policy will be fully implemented in April 2012.

This HAMP document is split into 3 separate parts as explained below:

Part 1 – Policy Statement. This contains the overarching aims and objectives of the HAMP. It sets out the Council’s general policy in respect to highway asset

management.

Part 2 – HAMP Working Document. This is the operational document that will be used by Engineering Services to manage and further develop the HAMP. It is a working framework document that will be used for future reporting and works

planning. It will be reviewed and updated annually and used to plan future service development and improvement actions. In essence it is a practitioner’s document

which will be used by the Council’s highway engineers to manage the asset.

Part 3 – Appendix. This contains the technical and supporting data (eg inventory

data, condition data, legislation etc) in connection with the HAMP.

Although the development of the HAMP has been a discrete project, its management and operation is an ongoing requirement and Part 2 of this document will be used as a practical framework for doing so.

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Table 1 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

Adopted Highway Public roads and footways maintained by the Council (the Highway

Authority) in accordance with the Highways Act 1980

CVI Course visual inspection - survey used to assess carriageway condition based on a nationally standardised methodology

DRC Depreciated replacement cost - the value of the highway network taking into account depreciation

FNS Footpath Network Survey

Forward Work Programme List of schemes for the forthcoming year and beyond

GRC Gross replacement cost - the value of the highway network based on the cost of rebuilding it from new

HAMP Highway Asset Management Plan - the subject of this policy

Highway Network Collective term for adopted public roads, footpaths and their associated assets

Insight

Computerised highway data management system used for

management of customer data, inspections, works ordering and the like

Inventory Information that is gathered and used to describe each asset type

Levels of Service The standard applied to the maintenance of highway assets

Life Cycle Plan Strategy for maintaining an asset from its initial construction through to its disposal

LTP Local Transport Plan - Government capital funding for highway and

infrastructure maintenance

NSG National Street Gazetteer - a register of all streets in North Tyneside

Preventative Maintenance Application of relatively inexpensive maintenance treatments at the most appropriate time to protect and extend the li fe of assets.

SCANNER A high-speed surface condition survey undertaken from a van, normally on the principal road network

SCRIM Sideway Force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine - used to

determine the skidding properties of roads

Scheme Engineer Computerised highways management system used for the management of asset condition data, cost forecasting, treatment selection and forward works planning

Treatment Option A possible treatment type that can be used for the maintenance of an

asset

WGA Whole of Government Accounts - HM Treasury scheme to create a national single set of public accounting protocols

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Part 1

Policy Statement

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Introduction

This statement outlines the Council’s policy for the management of the highway asset over the next 5 years, commencing in April 2012. The highway network

consists of a number of diverse assets including carriageways, footways, street furniture, grass verges and street lighting amongst others. This plan focuses on

assets constituting the adopted highway. However, it has been designed to allow the future incorporation of other Council open space assets such as parks, cemeteries and coastal leisure infrastructure. The HAMP will not be used to manage winter

maintenance services as there are already well established management systems in place for this.

The HAMP will:

Contain a detailed and continually updated database of information about the condition, number and size of the highway assets

Contain up to date information as to the value of highway assets

Explore the most cost effective maintenance treatments based on the whole

life of the assets

Provide the means to produce accurate cost forecasts of the resources

required to maintain the highway infrastructure

Facilitate the development of cost-effective forward works programmes over a

number of years

Provide the means of calculating the resources required to achieve various levels of service so that informed decisions can be made

Provide a framework for developing customer engagement strategies to assist in determining what level of service / priorities the Council might decide to set

Produce accurate information reports to assist in decision making over works prioritisation and resource allocation

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Work Undertaken To Date

In December 2006 Cabinet approval was given to commence the development of the Council’s HAMP. The main areas of work since then have revolved around the

gathering of data and the development of the computer systems that are required to manage the data. The work has included:

Inventory collection – this involved employing a specialist company to survey the entire highway using a camera van. Image recognition technology identified and recorded all assets on the highway resulting in a

comprehensive inventory of all highway assets together with carriageway and footway areas.

Condition surveys – this has involved a range of surveys of carriageways so we now have detailed condition data for the whole of the road network. This

surveying will continue on a regular basis so that the HAMP continually operates using up to date information. A formal bridge condition survey regime has also been established. Footway condition surveying commenced

in April 2011.

Systems development – this has involved the development of specialist

computer applications to manage and make use of the above data (described in more detail on page 11). Hand-held data capture technology has also been developed to gather and manage data in real time outside the office.

Asset valuation – the Council has now calculated of the gross and depreciated values of the main highway assets (described in more detail on

page 12).

Assets Covered

The assets referred to in this HAMP have been grouped into 2 separate categories:

1) Controllable assets – these are the highway assets where sufficient data either exists or can be easily obtained to allow effective asset management. They tend to be the assets under the direct control of Engineering Services.

These assets will be actively managed through the HAMP using Part 2 of this document.

2) Related assets – these are the assets that are integral to the highway infrastructure but are not currently maintained by Engineering Services. They will not be managed within the HAMP as they are under the control of other

service areas or external organisations. However, Engineering Services will collaborate with these organisations in order to ensure a co-ordinated

approach to managing the highway asset as a whole.

The following tables show the above two categories, the assets contained within

them and a brief summary of the data gathered to date. It also shows plans for future development of the data during the 5 year lifetime of the HAMP:

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Controllable Assets

Asset Description Current Status Future Development

Adopted carriageways

Adopted classified and estate roads (carriageway surface only), approx total

length 825 km. Excludes A19 trunk road which is maintained by the Highways

Agency

Surface areas calculated.

Condition surveys complete. Gross and depreciated replacement cost valuation

complete. Data uploaded into HAMP management system.

Continuation of condition surveys annually.

Refinement of gross and depreciated replacement cost valuations.

Adopted footways

Adopted public footways, approx 1700km in length

Gross and depreciated replacement cost valuation

complete. Footway Network Survey (FNS) programme developed in house to gather

detailed data about condition. Partial data uploaded to management system.

Expansion of FNS programme. Development of

a complete condition data set. Upload of data to management system.

Refinement of gross and depreciated replacement cost valuations.

Structures Bridges, subways and other structures located on the adopted public highway

Inventory and condition data

exists in a variety of formats.

Possible integration of structures data into one

single HAMP management system.

Street furniture

Items of furniture located within the adopted highway eg seats, bollards, planting

boxes

Inventory data collected but has not yet been processed.

Data processed and mapped

spatially so items can be viewed on maps.

Traffic signs

Traffic information and

direction signs located on the public highway

Inventory data collected but

not yet processed. Some paper based records exist.

Data processed and mapped

spatially so items can be viewed on maps.

Gullies

Road gullies for drainage of surface water from the

adopted public highway

95% of inventory data gathered and processed. Data uploaded to HAMP

management system. Gully location mapped spatially.

5% missing data to be captured on site during street inspections. Data then

uploaded to create full asset set.

Road markings

White and yellow road

markings located on the adopted public highway

Inventory data collected but has not yet been processed.

No further work to take

place. Road markings will be disregarded in respect of the HAMP as they are

insignificant against the overall value of the highway asset and there is no

practical benefit to be gained by maintaining detailed data.

Miscellaneous Ironwork

Highway drainage manhole

covers etc located within the adopted public highway

Very little data available. Large gaps in data.

No systematic gathering of data will be undertaken. Data to be processed on an

ad-hoc basis following site investigations and gradually uploaded to the HAMP

management system

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Related Assets

Asset Description Current Status Future Development

Street lighting Street lighting and illuminated signs located within the adopted public

highway

Detailed data held by PFI partner. Assets also managed and maintained by

partner.

No data capture to be undertaken under the HAMP. PFI partner will

continue with data management.

Traffic signals Traffic signals and controlled pedestrian

crossing equipment

Detailed data held by Newcastle Traffic Signals

Group. Assets also managed and maintained by TSG.

Some degree of asset data to be acquired from TSG to

assist in HAMP asset valuation.

Bins Litter bins located on the adopted public highway

Inventory data collected but not yet processed. Assets

managed by Clean Neighbourhoods.

Possible processing and mapping of data if deemed

useful by Clean Neighbourhoods.

Highway verges and

landscaping

Grassed and landscaped areas within the adopted

public highway

Inventory data collected but not yet processed. Assets

managed by Clean Neighbourhoods.

Possible processing and mapping of data if deemed

useful by Clean Neighbourhoods.

Highway trees Trees located within the adopted public highway

Inventory data collected but not yet processed. Assets

managed by Clean Neighbourhoods.

Possible processing and mapping of data if deemed

useful by Clean Neighbourhoods.

Privately maintained miscellaneous

ironwork

Manhole covers, valve cases etc located within the adopted public highway

These assets are managed and maintained by utility companies who hold the

associated data.

No data capture to be undertaken under the HAMP. Utility companies

will continue with data management.

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ICT Systems Required to Support the HAMP

Effective ICT systems are an essential component of the HAMP. In recent years the

Council has made considerable investment in computerised data management and

works management systems. These systems now hold extensive amounts of data

about the numerous asset types. This data is required to effectively manage the

assets and plan future maintenance. The data supports the Council’s highway

inspection procedures, scheme selection protocols and customer relations strategy.

The management systems also contain the data that is necessary to support

statutory functions such as the maintenance of the National Street Gazetteer (NSG).

The two main specialist ICT systems that will used to support the HAMP are:

1) Scheme Engineer - this is a specialised highway asset management system which has been developed in partnership between the Council and Appia

Infrastructure Solutions Ltd. Scheme Engineer is a powerful and accurate data management tool which:

Stores detailed highway asset data

Displays asset information spatially in map format

Calculates the value of highway assets

Produces highway condition projections based on varying funding scenarios

Recommends maintenance treatments for road surfaces over the whole life of

the asset

Provides the information required to produce long term forward work

programmes

Determines the funding required to maintain the asset at the desired condition

2) Insight – this is a specialised data management system which has been developed in partnership with Symology Ltd. Insight is used for the following

purposes:

Managing customer information

Managing the Council’s highway inspection regime

Issuing works orders

Record-keeping for audit purposes

Management of utility works notices

Maintenance of National Street Gazetteer (NSG)

Several other systems will be used to manage some of the highway assets - bridges

for example.

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The intention is to constantly improve and refine the ICT systems over the lifetime of

the HAMP. Details of this will be provided annually in Part 2 of this document.

Value of the Highway Assets

The comprehensive gathering of inventory and condition data and subsequent

processing by the Scheme Engineer system means that North Tyneside Council can

calculate the overall value of highway and infrastructure assets with some degree of

accuracy.

Gross replacement cost (GRC) is defined as the cost of constructing the asset from

new. However, in reality it is rare that highway assets would have to be fully

reconstructed. It is therefore more useful to consider the depreciated replacement

cost (DRC). This is the value of the asset in its current condition rather than the cost

of building it from new.

The submission of North Tyneside’s GRC and DRC for highways is a requirement of

HM Treasury as part of the Whole of Government Accounts procedure. Part 2 of this

document provides more detail about this and sets out the future plans for further

improvement of our asset valuation information.

Investment in the Highway Network

Highways and infrastructure maintenance is currently funded from the following

sources:

Local Transport Plan (LTP) – annual capital funding received from the Government.

Revenue – annual revenue funding determined by the Government’s Relative Needs Formula and the Council Tax settlement.

Other specific allocations – other sources of funding allocated either internally or

externally, for example the Area Forum Roads & Pavements Recovery Fund.

An ongoing objective of the HAMP will be to actively explore all possible sources of

additional funding. Specific details of the funding plans and arrangements for each financial year will be set out in Part 2 of this document.

Customers and Key Stakeholders

Customer engagement will be a key area of work in the HAMP. A list of key stakeholders can be seen in the Appendix (see page 40).

We will develop the necessary systems to obtain good quality data from our

customers and key stakeholders in order to make informed decisions about highways and infrastructure maintenance priorities. Engineering Services will engage

regularly with the Cabinet Member for Transport and the Green Environment in order to receive advice and feedback. An engagement strategy will be formulated and updated each financial year. Details of this will be set out in Part 2 of this document.

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Levels of Service

The HAMP is intended to facilitate better decision making by providing robust

technical data and assessing this against the needs and aspirations of customers. In practical terms this means the identification and consideration of service level

options. The levels of service the Council might want to consider for the various highway asset groups are:

Statutory minimum – Meeting statutory, safety and legislative requirements

only

Minimum – The effect of reducing funding levels to regular revenue and LTP

allocations and removal of other funding allocations eg Area Forum funding

Existing – The effect of continuing with current funding retaining, for example,

the Area Forum budget

Requested – The effect of providing additional funding above what currently exists based on customer expectations and political aspirations

Optimum – The ideal amount of funding required to support optimal levels of service

Attainable – Re-alignment of optimum service level taking in account the resources that are realistically available eg. budget and staffing constraints

Part 2 of this document will set out, on a year by year basis, the levels of service we intend to apply. This will be based on ongoing information received from customers about their needs and from discussions with the political administration and senior

management.

Data Collection and Management

Good quality data is the most essential component of an effective HAMP. To date

there has been a considerable amount of work undertaken to collect data about the

highway assets as set out earlier in the table on page 9. However, there are currently

some gaps in the data. The next 5 years will therefore see the continuation of data

collection and further improvements in the computer systems required to manipulate

it.

Some asset data is held in other Council systems and some is held by our external

partner organisations. The aim of the HAMP is to consolidate all highway asset data

into the above two systems during the next 5 years.

A data collection and management plan will be prepared for each financial year and

will be detailed in Part 2. Better links with the Highway Development Control Team

will be developed in order to ensure that highway asset information from new

developments is properly integrated into the HAMP.

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Life Cycle Works Planning

The HAMP will see a shift towards whole life costing and preventative maintenance.

There will be a particular focus on carriageways which are the largest highway asset and are challenging and expensive to maintain. Life cycle works planning involves

looking at an asset from its creation then deciding the most appropriate maintenance treatments at the right time. This maximises the life of the asset and achieves better value for money. By undertaking relatively inexpensive preventative maintenance

treatments at the correct time this will save money by avoiding the need for more costly structural repairs further down the line. The Scheme Engineer system has the

capability of calculating the optimum timings and maintenance treatments for the whole of North Tyneside’s carriageway network. This will assist the Council to produce forward maintenance programmes and plan works ahead to get maximum

value out of the network. The illustration on the following page shows how a typical road might be maintained over 60 years. It compares and contrasts traditional

maintenance practice with the new approach that the Council intends to adopt through the HAMP. It demonstrates how preventative maintenance can extend the life of the carriageway and lead to better value for money:

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Traditional Highway Maintenance Approach

New Approach Using HAMP Principles

Total cost of maintaining the road using traditional methods £100,000

Total cost of maintaining the road using HAMP methodology £51,000

The above illustration shows that by applying highway asset management principles

the whole life cost of maintaining the asset is greatly reduced. The use of preventative maintenance treatments at the optimum intervention timings extends the life of the asset leading to less need for reactive and planned maintenance.

The HAMP will also contain plans for unplanned events such as the impact of

prolonged severe winter weather. The forward works programme will be designed so it can be adapted to deal with unforeseen work.

0 years 10 Years 20 Years 30 Years 40 Years 50 Years 60 Years

0 years 10 Years 20 Years 30 Years 40 Years 50 Years 60 Years

Preventative Maintenance Work Structural Maintenance Work

Newly constructed or newly resurfaced road

Newly

constructed or newly resurfaced road

Plane off defective

road surface. Lay new road surface. Cost £25,000

Plane off defective

road surface. Lay new road surface. Cost £25,000

Carry out deep planing and reconstruction of road surface. Cost £50,000

Plane off defective

road surface. Lay new road surface. Cost £25,000

Treat road Surface with proprietary

product to protect i t and seal minor cracks. Cost £5,000

Commence next cycle of preventative maintenance.

Treat road surface with proprietary

product to protect i t and seal minor cracks . Cost £5,000

Undertake surface dressing of road

surface to extend i ts life. Cost £8,000

Undertake surface dressing of road

surface to extend i ts life. Cost £8,000

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Forward Works Programme

Historically, due to a lack of data about the highway asset, maintenance work has largely been undertaken on a reactive basis from year to year. The robust data

gathered in recent years for the HAMP project means that the Council can now move towards a more strategic approach to works planning and resource allocation in line

with whole life maintenance as outlined previously.

The HAMP will see the development of a 5 year forward works programme for highway carriageway maintenance based on information provided by the Scheme

Engineer system and any other factors derived from customer needs and political aspirations.

The Council already has a 6 year forward works programme for bridge works based on the fact that principal bridge inspections are carried out every 6 years. This programme will be integrated into the HAMP so that all highways and infrastructure

planned work is contained in one management system.

Part 2 of this document will hold the working information in relation to works planning

and will be updated annually.

Risk Management

Effective risk management is an essential requirement of corporate governance and the HAMP will include:

Identification of any risks in relation to the management of the assets

Assessment of the risks

Recommendations and systems for managing / controlling the risks

Further information about risk management is shown in Part 2 of this document and

this will be updated annually.

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Links to Other Plans and Strategies

North Tyneside’s HAMP supports and complements other regional and Council transport strategies and plans. The main ones are set out below:

Tyne and Wear Third Local Transport Plan (LTP3) 2011-onwards

The Local Transport Plan sets the context for managing transport networks and improvements across the five Tyne and Wear districts. Its three main themes are:

Supporting economic development and regeneration Addressing climate change Supporting safe and sustainable communities

The plan consists of two documents: a ten-year strategy for the years 2011 to 2021

and three-year delivery plans which give details of measures to be implemented in each Tyne and Wear district over this time. Copies are available via the Tyne and Wear LTP website: www.tyneandwearLTP.gov.uk

North Tyneside Network Management Plan – this sets out how we will

facilitate the movement of vehicles, pedestrians and cycles and how we aim to improve the reliability of journey times. It also sets out how activities on the

highway are co-ordinated with a particular emphasis on utility works.

North Tyneside Road Safety Strategy – this sets out how we will aim to make

our network safer and reduce road casualties, including the introduction of 20mph zones in residential areas and road safety training.

North Tyneside Cycling Strategy – This is the first stage of a ‘2030 Vision’ to make North Tyneside the North East’s leading cycling borough. It sets out

how we will improve the cycling network and encourage cycling.

North Tyneside Parking Strategy – this sets out how we will manage parking in the borough including supporting the retail vitality of our town centres.

Copies of the above North Tyneside plans and strategies are available via the Council’s website: www.northtyneside.gov.uk

Measuring Performance

Measuring performance is an important requirement of highway and infrastructure

maintenance. Without this it would be difficult to determine how the service is performing over time. Part 2 of the HAMP contains information about how

performance wil be measured from year to year together with the associated key performance indicators. The performance information will be reviewed annually and used to drive improvements in service.

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Monitoring and Review of the HAMP

Part 2 of this HAMP is a working document that will be updated on an annual basis. The plan is therefore self-monitoring and, by virtue of the requirement to complete

Part 2 each year, it is subject to continual review and improvement.

Annual Information Report to Cabinet

In order to provide regular information about highways and infrastructure an annual

information report wi ll be taken to Cabinet. This will include the following information:

Statement about the current condition of the highway network

Forward projections of highway condition based on a range of funding scenarios

Summary of developments and improvements made in the last 12 months

Findings of customer engagement exercises

Suggestions about changes of maintenance priorities or levels of service based upon feedback from customers and stakeholders

Any other useful information

It is intended that the above information will assist with the corporate decision-making process. The annual report will be submitted during the 3rd quarter of the financial year with the view that any corporate decisions or changes in relation to

highway asset management policy will be implemented at the start of the following financial year. In addition to the annual cabinet report, monthly briefings will be issued to the Cabinet Member for Transport and the Green Environment which will

facilitate discussions about progress and ideas for service improvement.

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