Pothole Fund Application Form

Guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pothole-fund-2014-to-2015-application

Only one application form should be completed per local highway authority.

Applicant Information Local authority name: Manchester City Council

Bid Manager Name and position: Fiona Worrall - Head of Neighbourhood Delivery

Directorate for Growth & Neighbourhoods Contact telephone number: 0161 234 3926 Email address: f.worrall@manchester.gov.uk Postal address:

Manchester City Council PO BOX 532 Town Hall Manchester M60 2LA

When authorities submit a bid for funding to the Department, as part of the Government’s commitment to greater openness in the public sector under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, they must also publish a version excluding any commercially sensitive information on their own website within two working days of submitting the final bid to the Department. The Department reserves the right to deem the business case as non-compliant if this is not adhered to.

Please specify the web-link where this bid will be published: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/homepage/743/report_a_problem_on_a_road

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SECTION A – Your Highway The Department would like to understand more about the highway assets that fall under your statutory duties. We already collect data from your authority in regards to road lengths but we would like to understand more about the other assets you are responsible for. Please answer the following in your application:

A1: What is the number of bridges owned by your authority with span over 1.5 metres? 360

A2: What is the total number of street lighting columns under your authority’s responsibility? 54 645 units

A3: What is the total number of street lighting columns under your authority’s responsibility over 40 years old? Zero units

A4: What is the total length of footways under the responsibility of your authority (in miles)? 1658 miles

A5: What is the total length of off road cycleways under the responsibility of your authority (in miles)? 69 miles

A6: Please provide a weblink to your authority’s statement of how the flood recovery funding, awarded in March 2014, has/will be spent: Presently the web link is not available, but it is targeted for mid July 2014. Manchester intends on targeting a funding programme for poor condition roads where drainage issues are prevalent in causing repeat failures and complaints.

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SECTION B – Potholes B1: Which of the recommendations arising from the Pothole Review Report has your authority adopted? The report can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/3995/pothole-review.pdf

Manchester has reviewed and taken on the initial 2011 editions and the 2013 follow up. With focus on the initial ‘17no Recommendations’ of the report, a review on long-term maintenance strategies, decision-making arrangements, processes of reporting, prioritising and repairing potholes, guidance and wider operational arrangements.

The following answers and supporting information will provide evidence of the progress made to date. The process itself is on going and continually being refined.

Recommendation 1 Strengthen Well-maintained Highways

Manchester’s Code of Practice for Highways Inspections based on “Well-maintained Highways” (WmH) has revised and strengthened and continues to be developed, in accordance with the revised WmH, Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP), national and Eurocode standards and on-going service delivery.

Recommendation 2 Public Opinion Surveys

Manchester has improved its monitoring processes of public satisfaction with road, footway and cycleway condition and repair annually through highways and transport public satisfaction survey. The findings are used to benchmark and monitor performance.

Recommendation 3 Public Communications

Manchester, together with its partnerships has improved the public communications process providing greater clarity and transparency in their policy and approach to repairing potholes. This includes a processes, strategies and policy of its implementation, including the prevention, identification, reporting, tracking and repair of potholes.

Recommendation 4 Economic Benefits of Highway Maintenance

Manchester has revaluated its investment in maintenance of the local highway network, to support the Governments Highways Maintenance Funding Strategy to be delivered via the Department for Transport working in collaboration with other local highway authorities to develop advice and review economic costs and benefits. Manchester has reviewed and developed processes and strategies in accordance with HMEP Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Guidance recommendations.

Recommendation 5 Commitment of Highway Maintenance Budgets

Manchester is committed to establishing budgets for highway maintenance, with various cost models and opportunities being reviewed to provide greater economic returns and efficiencies.

Recommendation 6 ‘Prevention is better than Cure’

Manchester has adopted the principle that ‘prevention is better than cure’ in reviewing the balance between structural, preventative and reactive maintenance activities in order to improve the resilience of the highway network and minimise the occurrence of potholes, with greater Capital investment in Highway maintenance programmes.

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Recommendation 7 Informed Choices

Manchester has invested in staff training and development to ensure that appropriate competencies is established when making the right choices in designing and specifying techniques and materials for the maintenance and repair of highways. The competencies have been secured through training, collaboration with neighbouring and national authorities and external advice.

Recommendation 8 Guidance on Materials

Manchester has reviewed its policies with regard to the design, specification and installation of materials for the maintenance and repair of highways, to ensure the use of appropriate materials for the right site. It has included various innovative products, processes and works programmes. It has developed guidance and absorbed some of the HMEP recommendations in with a view to life cycle matters, developing material guidance requirements and standardisation of design.

Recommendation 9 Definition of Potholes

Manchester has developed and improved some of its processes to provide greater clarity, guidance and adoption of definitions, for potholes based on best practice, as part of their maintenance policy. Response times and treatment of potholes have been re-aligned to deliver on local needs, consideration of all highway users, the wider community issues and assessment of risk.

Recommendation 10 Permanent Repairs Policy

Manchester has adopted a permanent repair as the first choice. Temporary repairs are only used where safety cannot be managed, in emergency circumstances, or the longevity of any repair is at immediate risk of failure, with Manchester adopting, trialling and benchmarking various innovative alternative approaches.

Recommendation 11 Inspection and Training

Manchester, together with its partners in Greater Manchester and other local authority groups has developed new and innovative inspection regimes to support implementation of their inspection policies. This has included training for highway inspectors, with accredited Highway Inspectors Board qualifications, to improve competent in the identification and assessment of defects, including potholes.

Recommendation 12 Technology

Manchester has invested in the use of new, innovative and proven technology and systems for the effective identification and management of potholes and the highways asset management. It has used social media to improve the customer’s involvement. It has collaborated with other Local authorities in innovative survey methods.

Recommendation 13 Guidance on Repair Techniques

Manchester has reviewed the guidance provided in the ADEPT in its report ‘Potholes and Repair Techniques for Local Highways’ and adopted processes and evaluations to their local circumstances.

Recommendation 14 Quality of Repairs and Reinstatements

Manchester forms part of the collaborative Greater Manchester Roads Activities Permit System (GMRAPS) process to improve its network management suite to target their pothole resilience and, drive up standards to cover all aspects of manual surfacing operations, including pothole repairs and reinstatements and its material specified by local highway authorities and utility companies.

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Recommendation 15 Co-ordinating Street Works

Together with the GMRAPS system and its local Neighbourhood Delivery Teams Manchester is able to share and co-ordinate short and long-term programmes of work up to four years in advance.

Recommendation 16 Minimising Highway Openings

With the introduction of GMRAPS all Manchester Local Authorities have been able to minimise long-term damage from the installation, renewal, maintenance and repair of utility and highway apparatus through alternative and innovative ways of working.

Recommendation 17 Research and Innovation Manchester involvement with various collaborative partnerships, such as the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), its sub division of Manchester Association of District Engineers (GMADE) and the Local Council Highway investment Group, has enabled Manchester to be at the forefront of some innovative practices. This involves supporting, co-ordinating, contributing and disseminating research on pothole operations and innovation from research for improvement of pothole management and operations.

Please answer the following, including providing supporting information, where applicable:

Question Yes/No All ‘yes’ answers must be supported evidence. Please append supporting information, clearly marking the question number to which the information refers.

A. Has your authority aligned its maintenance programme to the Government’s highways maintenance funding years (i.e. 2011-2015 and 2015-2021)?

x Yes No

Manchester are currently drafting a business case for approval of a long term investment, through prudential borrowing, designed to interrupt the current cycle of decline in the City’s highway network. It is based on the recent whole highway network treatment surveys and advanced deterioration modelling developed by Gaist Ltd in collaboration with Blackpool Council and York University and based on the HMEP toolkit. The overall goal will be to improve the condition of Manchester’s roads and footways to an acceptable condition that supports the City’s goals, on one hand optimising capital investment and asset condition and on the other hand avoiding escalation of revenue costs in claims and pot hole filling. This is to be aligned to the Government proposals announced in June 2013 making available £5.8 billion capital - £976 million each year - over the course of the next parliament to tackle highway maintenance on the local

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highway network. Attached in the supporting information is some of the recent modelling done to determine investment requirements. Various options are to be considered together with finance package options such as Prudential Borrowing. Please review Annexe A

B. Has your authority adopted the principle that ‘prevention is better than cure’ in determining the balance between structural, preventative and reactive maintenance activities in order to improve the resilience of the highway network and to minimise the occurrence of potholes in the future?

x Yes No

Manchester City Council strategy and investment has aligned with the principles that ‘Prevention is better than cure’, by shifting the balance of investment from (Revenue) Reactive to (Capital) Planned Maintenance, to improve network resilience against pothole impact. An additional £400K of funding was made available for large areas of patching, (excluding the additional DfT funding for winter damage), in 2012/13 In 2013/2014: A further £689K allocation of targeted programmes and large scale patching where undertaken. £1.2 million was invested in micro asphalt surfacing to improve mid-life part of the road network resilience to potholes. Despite Reactive funding remaining fairly constant throughout recent period, the introduction of the additional Capital funding has notably improved parts of the network. In addition to this, the visual impact of the works has addressed public expectations that MCC is investing in its network. Manchester has adopted a ‘one pass fix’ strategy to potholes on its network, ensuring a ‘like for like’ material for the majority of potholes is used or alternatively an innovative product (e.g. Ultra Crete,) where permanent repairs are not possible due to safety or Traffic Management restrictions. Manchester has trailed various innovative works processes. Examples of this include ‘Find and Fix’ and Hub team. (see efficiencies) Manchester has invested in new technology and total network surveys, to ensure that data associated with the potholes and network

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management is captured, together with other asset size and condition using a Symology Pavement Management System (PMS). Together with the collaborative Greater Manchester Roads Activities Permit System (GMRAPS) process and data, the partnership /MCC have an improved management suite of tools available to target their pothole resilience and investment strategy.

C. Has your authority ensured that appropriate competencies have been made available to make the right choices when designing and specifying techniques and materials for the maintenance and repair of highways? Note - these competencies can be secured through training, collaboration with neighbouring authorities or external advice.

x Yes No

All highways Inspectors have been trained to City and Guild standard to address highway safety requirements and material choice, backed by on-going training to develop staff in materials selection and techniques. Manchester is part of the Greater Manchester Association of District Engineers (GMADE) collaboration where information, training, works delivery, material choice, innovative information, staff resources, benchmarking exercises and training are shared /disseminated. The group has developed a guide process for material selection, rationalising the numbers of products that are used/accepted, throughout Greater Manchester.

D. Does your authority co-ordinate with other parties working on the highway short and long-term programmes of work activities for up to four years in advance?

x Yes No

Manchester forms part of the Greater Manchester Association of District Councils, where the 10 Local Authorities form the “Transport for Greater Manchester” (TfGM) co-ordinating works, controls, policy delivery, service delivery and funding. The same parties again form the Association Of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) and sub division of Manchester Association of District Engineers (GMADE) where programmes of works delivery, material and service procurement, staff resources and business frameworks, are shared. Some GMADE focus groups also include Cheshire and Merseyside Authorities colleagues.

Manchester is a partner in the Greater Manchester Roads Activities Permit Scheme (GMRAPS) developed in accordance with regulation 3, of The Traffic Management Permit Scheme (England) Regulations 2007 and replacing sections of the existing Notice regime of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991

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(‘NRSWA’).

Regular meetings are held with Utility/ stakeholder companies , weekly, monthly, quarterly : MCC - Regional Centre Works meets Utilities Weekly MCC /Utilities - Quarterly Co-ordination in March, June, September and December, for large scale programme matters. NWHAUC - North West Highways and Utility Companies in April, August and December. One of the efficiency and cost savings gained from the meetings is via Manchester collaboration with the utility framework contractors extending work sites to fulfil some of the needs of Manchester network programme and reduce network congestion. Regeneration Partners and Developers are met regularly, initially to determine their programmes impact on the network and where schemes are generally of a larger impact regular meetings are scheduled in to disseminate information and review matters. MCC uses Local Area Neighbourhood Delivery teams to liaise on programmes and develop regions with its stakeholder partners in Regeneration and Social Landlord Housing bodies. Within Manchester, city centre ‘City Co’ represents Manchester’s business community whose partners include retail, leisure, property, professional and financial services, hotels, transport, education, utilities, creative industries and hospitality. City Co, work in partnership with Manchester and provide a conduit for the dissemination of highway related information, with a dedicated web link of news on their website. http://cityco.com/ Co-ordination has occurred cross border with other Local Authorities, one example being the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road funded by the Combined Authority from the Greater Manchester Transport Fund (GMTF) with some additional third party contributions. While the

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majority of the Scheme lies outside MCC, all three affected local highway authorities (Manchester, Cheshire East and Stockport) have worked in partnership in its delivery. For the City Airport Project , MCC, Trafford and Stockport have partnered in its delivery, agreeing standards, departure from standards, funding, environmental criteria’s and service delivery. The South Manchester Regeneration Framework ‘Living Citys’ 2012 were developed with private investment partners and the residents. Investment will guide public and private investment needs for the next ten to fifteen years. It will include not only housing stock regeneration but impact heavily on the surrounding highway infrastructure covering 2,619 hectares – 31% gardens, 30% parks/open space, 15% road network. Manchester City Council, working in partnership with New East Manchester Housing, Manchester City Football owner Sheikh Mansour and investment companies to deliver a £1bn project of Leisure, Housing and infrastructure improvements which includes improved road network, pedestrian and cycling network, not only to the stadium but to the local community retail, Velodrome and Metrolink facilities. Manchester’s infrastructure includes a link off the M56 towards the Airport, where the network merge, on a linear length under a bridge, which requires partnership with the Airport and HA support / permissions to close for maintenance purposes. This involves extensive traffic management affecting the Airport and M56, and offers all parties an opportunity to address maintenance issues. Numerous other examples of coordination can be provided.

E. Has your authority considered the guidance provided in the ADEPT report Potholes and Repair Techniques for Local Highways and adopted as appropriate to your

x Yes No

Yes, we have reviewed failure types and treatment options for subsequent treatment practices, for the various pothole failure derivatives. Where possible a ‘one pass fix- like for like’ product has been adopted throughout the network, resulting in a reduction in return visits

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local circumstances? of temporary or repeat failure repairs. Together with the use of innovative products, such as ‘Ultra Crete’, improved staff training / understanding of products, tightening of performance criteria’s for materials and delivery teams MCC has addressed some of the issues raised by the ADEPT report. Manchester has its own Direct Service Labour who is commissioned to fix the potholes. As part of its self-governance requires a form of self-certification that works have been completed, to approved standards, with a documented process to prove that works are done. This process is a staged process of completion to be improved and with the new PMS system, all potholes repair data is to be captured by operatives from start to finish. Manchester is to invest £1m of Capital investment in the drainage network with £800k of this investment linked to dealing with existing gully network. Works will include minor civil engineering repairs and cleansing operations to eliminate some of the on going failing network issues, thus removing the risk of water ingress into the road structure, a common cause of pothole development, in the process

F. Has your authority developed a detailed highway inspection manual and have put appropriate training in place for your Highway Inspectors?

x Yes No

MCC has developed a detailed Code of Practice for Highways Maintenance containing guidance on treatment options and processes for treatment. As part of the on going review Manchester has changed its Inspections regime, to include a higher level of intervention for the on road cycle network, further improving resilience to pothole and public’s perception, by further reducing risk to road users. This has been driven by cycling investment and LTP3 Policy that Manchester has to improve and increase cycling facilities and users within Greater Manchester Inspection Staff have City and Guilds Accreditations Manchester have been working in partnership with other local authorities in the, Blackpool lead, Local Authority Investment Group developing improved innovative survey / treatment CVI and DVI inspections with practitioners undertaking training to ensure they are competent in designing repair options.

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G. Does your authority use technology and systems for the effective identification and management of potholes?

x Yes No

A £500k investment in treatment / asset surveys, new Symology PMS systems, together with the introduction of handheld devices is being used as part of the management toolkit in effective and targeted pothole / asset assessment. The on-going condition surveys will build on existing asset data knowledge for modelling and target future investment. Manchester has used SCANNER to produce its NI outcomes, for a number of years now and together with its Survey partners are developing data process enable an alternative innovative, detailed process is used. By using the Symology Greater Manchester Roads Activities Permit System (GMRAPS) system and the video evidence provided by recent asset and treatment surveys MCC are now able to assess the damage, caused by Utility work and target remedial works for poor workmanship or materials used, with the Utility company concerned. This will reduce the cost borne by the Local Authority repairing unknown works, support MCC in proving responsibility, therefore ensuring the standard of workmanship improves where required, and reduce the occurrence of failures generated by Utility work. Manchester has pioneered using social media accounts such as Twitter to increase and reach residents and stakeholders, with tailored messages and specific and personalised communication. It has attracted residents, communication groups, businesses and partners, who get real time information. MCC has provided ‘Free Bee’ (a free Wi-Fi system) within the City area to use to report potholes but to also pro-actively raise awareness. Manchester has introduced ‘Channel Shift’ that is a task orientated and customer focussed web process, which enable residents to report potholes shifting away from the need to phone enquiries. It is a ‘do it online’ campaign saving some £500,000 p.a. for all services (including Cleansing and Housing issues) Part of this Channel shift is the introduction of

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the ‘Fast form’ for ‘Report a pothole’ link on its website so that road users and residents can report any defect found. http://www.manchester.gov.uk/homepage/743/report a problem on the road Manchester is investing in video condition surveys of its network to assist with modelling and defect recognition. Having completed recent CVI treatment surveys MCC intention is to continue with annual network surveys. The video evidence is able to model changing condition derivatives and measure accordingly

H. Does your authority have a public communications process in place that provides clarity and transparency in the policy and approach to repairing potholes? This should include a published policy and details of its implementation, including the prevention, identification, reporting, tracking and repair of potholes.

Yes X No

Manchester website supports the use of public consultation in detailing policy, strategy and process elements in its approach to pothole and asset management. Customers are regularly updated as part of information provided on annual programmes of works and able to report defects MCC has a ‘report a pothole’ link (as above in G), followed by a process of monitoring the stages from initial report to works completion. The client can at anytime request an update and service status.

Manchester operates a Customer Relationship Monitoring service where service enquiries instigate a process, which advices residents of time scale, process and gives an opportunity for clients to track progress.

I. Does your authority monitor public satisfaction with road, footway and cycleway condition and report annually through the National Highways and Transport Public Satisfaction Survey or their own surveys?

Yes x No Manchester did not take part in the NHT 2013 survey; however, it does undertake its own Customer Satisfaction surveys. Manchester’s Performance and Intelligence Team for Growth and Neighbourhoods Directorate, which includes the Highways remit of work, undertake a quarterly survey of 1000 residents. The survey is done via telephone, focussing on satisfaction levels within their local area as part of the “People, Pride, Place.” Strategy and Vision. The figure are then analysed down to MCC’s individual ward areas (Manchester has 32) Analysis of customer satisfaction survey results is used to provide an insight into how we can improve our highway services.

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Manchester also captures Public satisfaction / feedback via its Neighbourhood Delivery team during service and programme delivery of work as part of consultation process within the communities, via staff and senior management involvement.

Manchester has worked in partnership with service providers to review public opinion on what is being delivered. Surveys done as part of QA returns. e.g. In 2013/14 Colas undertook a major programme of Micro Asphalt works to both footway and carriageway works, to the value of @£700K. Part of this process provides residents/ business etc with a leaflet, containing a pre-paid tear off strip, to return to Colas. This information has been correlated and the outcomes are to be provided to MCC. MCC in turn will use the outcomes to support intelligence requirements and to determine what satisfaction levels are with the product, contractor, traffic management etc and where there is a need for improvement.

J. Does your authority adopt permanent repairs as the first choice when repairing potholes?

x Yes No

MCC adopts a permanent ‘first pass repair’ where safe to do so. Where this is not possible such as cases where Traffic Management / high risk to operatives / road user remains, or a large repair is required for surface area longevity the pothole is temporarily repaired using one of the innovative treatment systems available and a follow up programme is commissioned.

K. Has your authority adopted dimensional definitions for potholes based on best practice as part of its maintenance policy?

X Yes No

MCC adopted this as part of their Code of Practice based on the Road Liaison Groups, ‘Well Maintained Practice…’ , benchmarking with other Greater Manchester Authority groups, reviewing periodically to ensure that information is correct.

B2: Does your authority adopt any innovative methods to help repair potholes? This could include, for example, specialist pothole maintenance crews. X Yes No If yes, please provide details as an annex as part of your bid. A 500k investment in treatment / asset surveys, new Symology PMS systems, together with handheld devices is being used as part of the management toolkit.

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Manchester has invested in Ralumac 2000, Jetpatch, Ultracrete products and is to embark on a further in-situ infrared treatment to its network. Manchester has over recent years has trailed an number of specialist pothole treatments, with varying success and will continues to do so, as the market and products develop. Manchester is investing in video condition surveys of its network to assist with modelling and defect recognition. Having completed recent CVI treatment surveys MCC intention is to continue with annual network surveys. The video evidence is able to model changing condition derivatives and measure accordingly Manchester have been working in partnership the Blackpool lead, Local Authority Investment Group of practitioners with other local authorities in developing improved innovative DVI inspections, pothole research and HMEP based modelling. The system adopted the same product that Blackpool used for its Project 30 investment programme and recognised by the DfT in it delivery of new PMS systems, Manchester has trialled dedicated operative teams to attend, assess and repair whilst on site any pothole reported, taking account that the pothole may not hit immediate intervention levels, but may either be a risk as it stands or is deemed at risk to develop beyond the intervention levels within a short space of time. A further example was the introduction of the highways ‘Hub’ a team of dedicated highway skilled staff whose role was to deal, with CRM and emergency complaints and re-allocate to highways inspectors those deemed to need inspection / immediate action. This removed repeat complaints, enabled staff to filter out repeat / historical / on-going complaints given customers immediate responses to issues The Hub would order works that did not need site visits promptly once and audited throughout its process ensuring that Highway Inspectors remained out on the network inspecting.

B3: Does your authority use reporting tools to identify potholes in your local area including: CTC Fill that Hole x Yes No Council’s Own Web Reporting x Yes No Other x Yes No Please specify: Manchester monitor websites using both of its own social media links, of Twitter and Facebook accounts in addition it will capture reports from other known sites that include: Report a Hole at Direct co.uk, Pothole.co.uk, Fix my street.

B4: Does your authority regularly consult and seek feedback on its highways maintenance regime, including potholes, with key stakeholders? Local Member(s) of Parliament Yes x No District, Borough and Parish Councils x Yes No Local Residents x Yes No (Including neighbourhood Forums) x Yes No Business Community x Yes No Emergency Services Yes x No If yes, please provide details as an annex as part of your bid.

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http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/100003/people_and_communities/164/community_engagement Provides the opportunity to engage with community http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents.php?categoryID=200024 Is as link that engages in community consultation. At present, for instance this link includes the 20mph consultation.

B5: Does your authority have an up-to-date vision and action plan to improve the walking environment and encourage walking? X Yes No If yes, please provide a weblink:

http://www.tfgm.com/journey_planning/LTP3/Documents/4_Delivering_our_Objectives_GMLTP3.pdf http://www.tfgm.com/journey_planning/LTP3/Documents/5_Promoting_TC_GMLTP3.pdf The vision form part of Manchester’s LTP3 portfolio with the initial highways coordination functions granted to TfGM. This GM partnership brings together a wide range of transport stakeholders in Manchester, ensuring a co-ordinated approach to addressing the key transport

issues faced within the city.

TfGM are working to develop an integrated transport network that promotes a safer, healthier, economically competitive, environmentally sustainable and fully inclusive Manchester. TfGM supports the sustainable transport policies, including Manchester's walking and cycling strategies and is working to identify weaknesses and gaps within existing provision to improve transport links. The focus is on ‘active travel’ means that we will encourage walking (along with cycling), rather than driving, which will reduce road traffic and carbon emissions and create a safer environment for pedestrians and residents. Working in partnership with the health sector, particularly on active travel promotion programmes, will be important in achieving the cultural change needed to make walking journeys part of everyday life. Our approach to managing the highway network and supporting Public Rights of Way involves giving greater priority to pedestrians in a variety of environments, and we will also take advantage of regeneration schemes in town and city centres to create a pleasant urban environment that encourages walking. Encouraging more children to walk to school is a key part of our smarter travel choices strategy, supported where possible by local safety improvements and road safety training. MCC not only has themed links to the functions of TfGM, but also adds value with promoting various aids; walking groups, route planning and health group links. http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200102/cycling_and_walking/2844/walking_in_manchester Manchester’s policy is identified in its Streetscape Manual ( which is a policy approach for developer), which goes on to state the The Greater Manchester Pedestrian Strategy 2002 is a

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key policy augmented by the Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) published in 2008.” http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200074/planning/1528/the_guide_to_development_in_manchester

B6: Please explain how you deliver your duty under NRSWA to ‘co-ordinate the execution of works of all kinds’, including for example permit schemes, noticing, and co-ordination meetings?

Manchester is a partner in the Greater Manchester Roads Activities Permit Scheme (GMRAPS) developed in accordance with regulation 3, of The Traffic Management Permit Scheme (England) Regulations 2007 and replacing sections of the existing Notice regime of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (‘NRSWA’).

This partnership was the first joint party permit scheme nationally when introduced and The Secretary of State for Transport approved the Scheme in July 2012.

The 10 Permit Authorities of Greater Manchester are able to: Providing a robust approach better manage and coordinate works, Provide consistent improvements in roadwork coordination. Reduce congestion on the highway network. Provide the 10 Manchester Local Authorities with more control over activities on their highways networks Reduce road-works durations by 5% to 10%. Provide efficiency savings through collaborative working. Improved communication with all stakeholders who use the highway network. A single register of all roadwork activities in Greater Manchester.

Notice Permits are based on prescript timescales, associated with the various work categories, (Major, Minor, and Normal) which applicants must adhere to. All works on the highway are subject to Quality Assurance monitoring and fixed penalty notices, if any failure incurs including over-run.

As part of this, process regular meetings are held with Utility and stakeholders companies to share and review programmes of work, address issues arising, look at opportunities of innovative working and discuss performance.

The following dates are timetabled for focus groups: MCC - Regional Centre Works meets Utilities Weekly (Wednesdays) MCC - As per Legislation Quarterly Co-ordination meetings with the Utilities in March, June, September and December, for large-scale programme matters NWHAUC - North West Highways and Utility Companies meet 3 times a year (April, August and December).

B7: What actions does your authority take to ensure road repairs undertaken by other parties (such as utilities companies) meet the standards in the specification?

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X Inspections regime X Scoring programme X Performance bench-marking X Meetings X Other (please specify) Manchester are undertake a Coring Programme to support QA needs for Utility works, to look at matters such as air voids, compaction and layer construction. Please refer to question B6 for additional details.

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SECTION C – Asset Management

C1: Has your authority adopted the recommendations arising from the Asset Management Strategy Guidance published in May 2013 – http://www.ukroadsliaisongroup.org/en/utilities/document-summary.cfm?docid=5C49F48E-1CE0-477F-933ACBFA169AF8CB ? X Yes No

Manchester has aligned with the aims of the HMEP asset management guidance of May 2013 and its 14 recommendations,

• Asset Management Framework is being further developed and is endorsed by senior decision makers.

• Relevant information associated with asset management is actively communicated through engagement with relevant stakeholders, on the wider spectrum of community requirements in making decisions, setting requirements, and reporting performance.

• An asset management policy and a strategy is developed and published. It aligns with the corporate vision and demonstrates the contribution asset management makes.

• The performance management framework is clear and accessible for stakeholders where appropriate and supports the asset management strategy.

• The quality, value, relevance and gap analysis of all data supporting asset management have been made resulting in investment in assist data requirements. It still remains under review as part of producing the integrated data register. Asset register have been developed to maintained, manage and report all relevant asset data. This will be develop into an integrated map and data based product

• Lifecycle planning principles is used to review the level of funding, support investment decisions and substantiate the need for appropriate and sustainable long term investment.

• Senior decision makers support leadership and commitment to asset management supporting its implementation and development

• The case for implementing the Asset Management Framework is made by the clear need for the funding required and the wider benefits to be achieved, through strategic management, modelling and stakeholder engagement.

• The appropriate competency required for asset management is identified, and training is being provided with future development also accounted for as Manchester move forward.

• A prioritised forward works programme for a rolling period three five years with further advanced time line programmes is also accounted for and to be reviewed periodically and updated regularly.

• Manchester asset management fits in the wider corporate strategy, working at a local to national level of involvement.

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Please answer the following, including providing supporting information, where applicable.

Question Yes/No All ‘yes’ answers must be supported evidence. Please append supporting information, clearly marking the question number to which the information refers.

Has your authority got an up to date asset management policy and strategy?

x Yes No

If yes, please provide a weblink. http://www.tfgm.com/journey_planning/LTP3/Documents/Transport-Asset-Management-and-Highway-Maintenance-Plan.pdf Manchester City Council (MCC) supports the principles set out in highways asset management and to that end have progressively been developing its process, policies and data inventory, to enable highways asset management to be at the forefront of delivering essential highway services. The collection of all relevant asset data, to consult upon and to modify management practices progressively, improving skills and performance is a constant process and remains an on-going action. Together with Greater Manchester, Manchester has consistently placed connectivity and transport at the heart of our economic strategy, with a clear understanding of the role of effective and reliable transport networks in connecting businesses with their supply chains, their customers and their labour markets. Manchester’s network faces a particularly complex array of challenges in managing the local, commuter and strategic demands in supporting growth, and that effective management and maintenance is critical to the achievement of that growth. This is reflected in the initial highways coordination functions granted to Manchester’s TfGM in 2011, and establishment of GMCA, and the encouragement of initial collaborative models, which have been established since then, to deliver both service improvement and efficiency savings. A Greater Manchester review has been underway since late 2013 to build on transport governance and delivery arrangements and establish optimal models of devolution that secure the efficiency benefits of service delivery at scale, whilst retaining a local highways provision that is responsive and accountable to local communities.

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The review will provide a new level of integration across the ten local highways authorities and Highways Agency to secure economies of scale where possible and ensure that priorities are addressed at a strategic economy-wide level. In terms of highway maintenance, the key outcomes will be to develop a delivery model that will meet the challenges of maintenance funding limitations and a growing highways asset maintenance backlog, which threatens to undermine the long-term reliability of the GM network and Consistently target maintenance investment on

strong asset management to support the long-term

economic viability of the city-region.

Presently, a GMADE Asset Management group is tasked with determine AMP delivery. This group has shared resources and information developing Levels of Service, WGA account modelling data and Life Cycle information etc. It is tasked to build upon these Asset Management elements to refine AMP, reduce the GAP data, and develop innovated approaches to deliveries benchmark findings and outcomes. These outcomes have been used in WGA returns, LTP information and to support various DfT returns. In addition, Manchester have been working in partnership with other local authorities, in the Local Authority Investment Group developing improved innovative survey / treatment DVI inspections with practitioners undertaking training to ensure they are competent in designing repair options.

Does your authority communicate relevant information associated with asset management through engagement with your relevant stakeholders when you set requirements, make decisions and report performance?

x Yes No

Manchester City Council‘s structure ensures that Strategic Managers and area based Neighbourhood Delivery Teams (NDT) are constantly engaged in communicating with stakeholders. With engagement performance reports and works programmes delivered. The engagement involves elected members, public and business community, regeneration stakeholders, social housing stakeholders and local action groups. The engagement takes of the wider picture of local views and needs in its delivery. An element such as ‘Growth Reform’ and it links to employment criteria’s are one of the many wider issues associated with service delivery to the community within Manchester. Manchester also publishes Committee reports on line as required under the government guidelines for transparency of information.

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Manchester also has a project Management process (Gateway) that ensures that decisions fit in with policy, aspiration and strategy for MCC.

Does your authority have an asset management register?

x Yes No

Manchester recently completed innovative Blackpool based survey / treatment system of highway DVI inspections has enabled MCC to have a highway network Asset Register. Manchester also has a bridge asset register on a SAMIS system and a Street lighting register on a Mayrise system provided by its PFI contractor Amey. Manchester is developing an integrated asset management map based database, using the BIM modelling criteria and Blackpool/ Gaist / the Local Authority Investment Group standards The asset register will be a web-based system kept live with data from highway inspection, development and works programmes. Asset data is to be made available across departments to enable to ensure that it remains relevant and captures asset as it is replaced, improved, removed and added to.

Does your authority follow lifecycle planning principles which are used to review the level of funding and which will help support investment decisions including long term investment in your assets?.

X Yes No Manchester has a fully embedded Life cycle plan, based on HMEP/ Asset Management principles and where performance gaps (PG) have previously been identified investments have been made to remove them. The £500k recent investment in asset and treatment surveys has further refined its Carriageway and Footway Life Cycle modelling/ plans. Please refer to Appendix A for details of some of the modelling recently undertaken together with possibly investment outcomes. .

C2: As part of your last L-Pack return for Whole Government Accounting requirements for the accounting period 2012/13, can you confirm you submitted the following return: Carriageway and Footways x Yes No Lighting x Yes No Structures x Yes No Street Furniture x Yes No

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SECTION D – Efficiencies D1: Is your authority actively engaged with securing efficiencies for highways maintenance? X Yes No If yes, please provide additional information on what your authority has done since 2011 including what % efficiency savings (where efficiency savings are defined as delivering a similar or a better outcome at a lower cost) your authority has achieved year on year and what savings you hope to achieve by end of 2014/15.

Some of the items are hard to value as monetary values but result in efficiencies and improvements to customer service, clarity of service and perception of the services provided. Rationalising partnerships throughout Greater Manchester resulting has in freeing up resources. Manchester 2013/14 £1.2m investment in a micro asphalt footway and carriageway programme has removed the need to invest a possible £4m investment demand on the same network dimensions over the next 2-5 years.

GMRAPS

Manchester is a partner in the Greater Manchester Roads Activities Permit Scheme (GMRAPS) serving the 10 Permit Authorities of Greater Manchester and is able to:

Reduce staff cost for one control serving 10 authorities Provide a robust approach Better manage Utility works Provide a consistent improvement in road works co-ordination Reduce congestion Provide Manchester’s 10 Local Authorities more control over activities Reduce road works duration by 5-10% on parts of the network Provide efficiency savings through collaborative working Improve communications with Stakeholders, who use the highway network Hold a single holistic register of all road works in Greater Manchester. Street lighting Manchester proposed retro fit of lights to use Led is predicted to save 10218 tonnes of carbon (currently 16100 Tonnes) The LED business case cost saving is reported as saving circa £300k per annum, although final figures maybe more. The energy savings are predicted to be 18 700 000KWhs (around 65% of present consumption). At current prices of £11.25p p/kWr it equals a cost saving of £2103m per annum The introduction of Solar illuminated reflective bollards over the traditional wired light LED base energy cost are £2.58 per unit per annum which when factored out to the existing 2250 is £ £5805 per annum

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In the last two years, our PFI Contractor, Amey has been replacing existing light sources in signs and bollards with LED units. The work is around 80% with a total saving of 555 000kWh per year and 302 Tonnes of CO2 Winter Services

The service has recently been reviewed in which the current ‘core’ gritting routes have been assessed and re-mapped. It is also proposed that we procure Thermal Mapping surveys to identify a series of ‘cold’ routes to reduce costs and increase efficiency of the service. Manchester intends to adopt the Appendix H Adept/ CSS principles. Purchasing of salt stock will be done using collaborative purchase power to drive down unit costs and deliver further efficiencies.

Legal Services Manchester and Trafford now share Legal Services providing efficiencies, with regard to Legal costs when Highway claims and the need for advice arise. This has been in place since 2012. Service delivery A Greater Manchester review has been underway since late 2013 to build on governance and delivery arrangements and establish optimal models to secure the efficiency benefits of service delivery at scale, whilst retaining a local highways provision that is responsive and accountable to local communities. The review will provide a new level of integration across the ten local highways authorities and Highways Agency to secure economies of scale where possible and ensure that priorities are addressed at a strategic economy-wide level Manchester collaboration in the deliver of new GM wide Contract for Highway Contractor Framework Service delivery has been a contributor to efficiency cost savings utilising the buying and negotiations power of partnership marketing and scale of economy. Manchester has trialled dedicated operative teams whose role is to attend, assess and repair whilst on site any pothole complaint, taking account that the pothole may not hit immediate intervention levels, but may either be a risk as it stands or is deemed at risk to develop beyond the intervention levels within a short space of time. This resulted in efficiencies in not having to return to deal with the deemed pothole, within a short space of time, and reduced resources and costs involved in claims that may have arisen. A further example was the introduction of the highways ‘Hub’ a team of dedicated highway skilled staff whose role was to deal, with CRM and emergency complaints and re-allocate to highways inspectors those deemed to need inspection / immediate action. This removed repeat complaints, enabled staff to filter out repeat complaints given customers immediate responses to issues, ordering works that did not need site visits promptly once and audited throughout its process, gave greater efficiencies in targeting resources to need, ensuring that Highway Inspectors remained out on the network inspecting.

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D2: Is your authority exploring or has it already joined with neighbouring local highway authorities or a Highways Maintenance Alliance to achieve economies of scale? X Yes No If yes, please provide additional information. For example the names of other authorities or the Alliance. If yes, please provide state where.

GM Level The Greater Manchester review has been underway for the delivery arrangements and establishment of optimal models of efficiency benefits of service delivery being shared, whilst retaining a local highways provision that is responsive and accountable to local communities. The aim is to provide a new level of integration across the ten local highways authorities and Highways Agency to secure economies of scale where possible and ensure that priorities are addressed at a strategic economy-wide level GMRAPS Manchester is a partner in the Greater Manchester Roads Activities Permit Scheme (GMRAPS) serving the 10 Permit Authorities of Greater Manchester. They include: Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Metropolitan Borough of Bury Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council Salford City Council The 10 Local Authorities have commissioned Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to manage the resource and host the system of coordinating the areas Permit system. Local Council Highway Investment Group Manchester forms part of the Blackpool initiated Local Council Highway investment Group. The aims of this group are to standardise the highway asset management practices and learning’s who are following the same approach PMS System. The members of this group are- Blackpool Council Stockport City Council Manchester City Council Halton Council Warrington Council Southend on Sea Council Plymouth Council Lancashire County Council

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The Local Council Highway Investment Group, which bring Highways Engineers together, in the same manner as GMADE does, to transfer knowledge, best practice and innovative ideas between Councils that are seeking to find new ways to finance and deliver long-term asset management plans. The group is also supported by York University, which is involved in groundbreaking research and development in the area of lifecycle and simulated deterioration modelling specifically designed to support long-term investment programs such as Prudential Borrowing and PFI. The groups’ mission is: - To develop new common methodologies to understand and communicate the true state of the highways infrastructure to facilitate long term robust business plans and determine the correct level of investment for today and the future. The aims of the group:- Are to create a collaborative highways asset management group of local councils working in partnership. The partnership are working together to achieve Elected member and public ambitions addressing the decline of highway assets. The groups terms of reference are:- To review current regulation (WGA etc) To share best practice To identify capability gaps Technology review Outputs to steering groups and bodies (HMEP/CIPFA/UK Roads Board/HAMFIG etc The Group has:-

Developed their own highway Asset Management framework which is being used (shared) and adopted. The group is formulating an embedded highway asset management approach using the latest guidance provided by the HMEP, which contains Blackpool's approach and the advice provided in ‘Building on String Foundations’

Undertaken a GAP Analysis based on the International infrastructure Maintenance manual method.

Standardise use of advanced modelling to achieve the WGA and production of DRC based on whole life costing and the CIPFA advanced methodology to advise on investment decisions. Standardised use of technology and use of data for asset registers. The benefits are that this will provide efficiencies of scale when developing the common technology platform GRP (which is also being shared)

Manchester and Trafford now share Legal Services providing cost saving and efficiencies, where highway services are required. The councils are working together as a single legal services department that gives both LA’s access to a larger legal team. This makes the most of the expertise on offer, making the team more efficient and cost effective service.

The team is overseen by Manchester's legal management team and fully implemented in 2012 with both councils able to access the services of this single team, providing a much more efficient. Staff from both councils would work together based on their particular specialist areas, with staff based in both regions.

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Northwest Construction Hub. (NWCH) The North West Construction Hub is run by Manchester City Council and the Centre for Construction Innovation (CCINW) on behalf of local authorities and other public organisations in the region. In 2013 Manchester City Council, together with Stockport MBC, Trafford MBC and Bolton procured a joint Civil and Structural Engineering Professional Services Framework using the Manchester City Council lead innovative Northwest Construction Hub

The aim of the framework was to allow services to be procured more efficiently from approved suppliers.

There are now a total of 78 lots in the framework with discipline bands broken into small, medium and large fees; up to £50,000, between £50,000 and £150,000 and over £150,000. Lots are also divided by sub-region for Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and Cumbria. The disciplines are:

Project and programme management

Regeneration / landscaping / artisan

Architectural design

Sustainability and environment

Valuation and market analysis

Civil and structural engineering

Mechanical, electrical and building services

Quantity surveying panel

Building surveying panel

Multi-discipline services

Efficiencies have been delivered by the use of LEAN practice and early Contractor involvement. The Northwest hub is part of the National regional Centre of Excellence, which has the potential to deliver @ 9% of efficiency savings per region annually.

The North West Hub was initially involved in developing with 9 other regional areas the National Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (NIEP) driving best practice, procurement and asset management in local government, working along central government has now has now been ‘reborn, as The national association of Construction Frameworks (NACF) to much praise from the Cabinet Office.

Tri-Party agreement Metrolink owners, TfGM and other GM Authorities now have developed an agreement where the group meets to discuss maintenance works and their impact on the localised network and it has been agreed to capitalise on any Metrolink tram system shutdowns, where possible, so all local authorities’ impacted and utility services may undertake localised maintenance where viable. This is to provide efficiencies and cost reduction for all parties concerned. It is also to reduce the inconveniences caused to road users Drainage As part of the on-going efficiency drives the gully operations process has been further reviewed and subsequently Manchester is to invest £1m in drainage maintenance. The funding will target the failing gully network and purchase a new gully vehicle to support the strategy of improving

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the network resilience not only from flooding but also reduce the potholes associated with wet / flooded areas of the network. (water ingress into the highway structure being one of the key factors in pothole development thus reducing the number of defects and floods and claims that arise Manchester City operatives were given training to enable them to attain the class 2 HGV licence which resulted in the drainage operatives changing their daily works practice, by rotating the gully driver with the pipe operator mid-way through a shift. This lead to improvements in productivity through reducing fatigue and outputs increased by around 30%. Other Manchester has recently procured a new Sub Contract frameworks and Material Supply Contract via the Corporate Core Procurement Team, using the Northwest Hub and HMEP process. Manchester Contracts continue to recycle construction waste for re-use within our works.

D3: Is your authority sharing its efficiency experience and/or case studies with other local highway authorities via the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme or other good practice networks? x Yes No

Yes via GMADE/ AGMA / benchmarking with other authorities. Manchester City Council has in partnership with other national Local Authorities, called the Local Council Highway Investment Group. Outputs to steering groups and bodies (HMEP/CIPFA/UK Roads Board/HAMFIG etc David Nicholson, Director of Highways and Engineering Services at Oldham Borough Council and Local Authority Lead at Mouchel, regularly uses the Greater Manchester work as an Ambassador to Greater Manchester’s HMEP development, using it for national presentations and is to speak at the National Road Maintenance and Improvement Conference 2014 on road maintenance strategy and use the additional £140 million in Government funding set aside to help repair roads worst hit by weather damage.

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SECTION E – Other

E1: Please provide details on which of the following good practice activities your authority is undertaking for its highways management activities. Invest to save x Yes No Cross boundary collaboration x Yes No See previous for examples of good practice Other (please specify): Manchester has had Industry peers Turner and Townsend review the opportunities for collaboration of service delivery. Recent modelling has produced various finance options to deliver future highway funding. Manchester has yet to choice its chosen route by like Stockport a Spend to Save option is part of those being reviewed.

E2: Do you consider your authority to be an exemplar authority in tackling potholes and undertaking highway maintenance? X Yes No If yes, please explain why.

• Senior decision makers support Asset Management implementation and development

• Performance management is clear and accessible for stakeholders

• Manchester actively communicates through engagement processes in making decisions, setting requirements, and reporting performance.

• Manchester has reviewed and taken on the Pothole Review 2011 editions and the 2013 follow up. With focus on the initial ‘17no Recommendations’ of the report, a review on long-term maintenance strategies, decision-making arrangements, processes of reporting, prioritising and repairing potholes, guidance and wider operational arrangements.

• The quality, value, relevance and gap analysis of all data supporting asset management have been made. An Asset register exists and is further being developed to maintained, manage and report all relevant asset data as an integrated toolkit.

• Lifecycle planning principles and the case for implementing the Asset Management for funding reflected in the wider community benefits through strategic management, modelling and stakeholder engagement are embedded.

• Manchester has taken on best practice and HMEP guidance as a sound basis for its Asset Management

• The appropriate competency and on-going training is being provided as Manchester move forward.

• A prioritised forward works programme for a rolling period three five years with further advanced time line programmes is also accounted for

• Manchester asset management fits in the wider corporate strategy, working at a local to national level of involvement.

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• The preceding answers and supporting information provide evidence of the progress made in Asset Management, with the process itself still on-going and continually being refined

If yes, would your authority be willing to share its experiences more widely with other authorities / organisations? X Yes No

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SECTION F: Declarations F1. Senior Responsible Owner Declaration As Senior Responsible Owner for Pothole Fund Bid I hereby submit this request for approval to DfT on behalf of Manchester City Council and confirm that I have the necessary authority to do so. I confirm that Manchester City Council will have all the necessary statutory powers in place to ensure the planned timescales in the application can be realised. Name: Fiona Worrall Position: Head of Neighbourhood Delivery

Signed: