Agenda item

(1)       Each year Highways and Transportation reviewed the Council’s Highways and Transportation Winter Service Policy and the operational plan that supported it in light of changes in national guidance and lessons learnt from the previous winter. The report set out proposed amendments following the review.

(2)       As a result of three successive bad winters, national guidance had been issued by the Department for Transport and was detailed in the code of practice for highway authorities – Well Maintained Highways – Section 13 Winter Service. Much of the guidance provided had long been incorporated in the Highways and Transportation (H&T) winter service policy and plan. Additions to the policy were set out in the report.  The allocated budget for winter service for 2012/13 was £3,237,704, £20,000 of which was allocated for the purchase of additional salt bins.

(3)       The revisions to the winter service policy met the objectives of the Council’s medium term plan for 2014/15, Bold Steps for Kent. Working in partnership with other authorities contributed towards achieving a better service and value for money for Kent residents.

(4)       Putting the citizen in control would be achieved by continuing to provide salt bags to parishes who requested them. Salt bins would be provided across the county and for the first time would be identified on a map on the Kent County Council website. Advice on how people in the Kent community could self help during winter conditions would also be included on the website, including road safety tips.

(5)       Well Maintained Highways recommended that local authorities identified a minimum network that would be treated continuously for a period of six days in the event of a severe winter event. For Kent it had been identified as being the main strategic network, i.e. all A and B roads and some other locally important roads as identified in the highway network hierarchy.  Essentially, they equated to the current primary routes minus the local roads and roads that go through estates etc. H&T would always endeavour to treat the entire primary network as identified in the policy but recognised that there might be times, as experienced in previous years, where it would be prudent to reduce the network as stated above to maintain salt levels and keep main roads in Kent moving as much as possible

(6)       Additionally H&T had identified an Operational Winter Period which was October to April, and a Core Winter Period which was December to February and the stocks of salt needed during those periods to effectively treat the network in line with recommended resilience levels.

(7)       In previous years good relationships had been established with the Highways Agency MAC Area 4 who managed the trunk roads and motorways in Kent.  KCC shared two depots with the HA and there had been a reciprocal salt sharing arrangement for some time which had worked very well. Additionally there was an arrangement with Medway Council in respect of the weather forecast and treating areas on the borders of Kent and Medway.

 (8)      Providing information to the people of Kent was a crucial part of delivering the winter service.  Much work had gone into developing the winter page of the KCC website including information on salting routes, salt bin locations and links to local district plans and road safety information. Close working with local media organisations over the past few years had been beneficial and has increased positive coverage for the winter service. The media – radio, television and press – would now be provided with pre prepared media briefs in advance of the winter season detailing the basics of the winter service.

(9)       Resources did not allow for the treatment of all public transport networks. However H&T were working closely with bus companies across the county to ensure that where possible communication channels were put in place so that the public could be informed of any changes to routes due to snow and ice.

(10)     The three year contract for the weather forecast expired earlier in the year. A tender process had been commenced and a new three year contract would be in place in time for the start of the winter service. The ice prediction service would continue to be provided by Vaisala Ltd.

(11)     The Winter Service Policy was set out in Appendix B of the report, and was supported by an operational Plan which had been updated in line with the Policy, and discussions with the contractor Enterprise plc to ensure that plans were aligned.  In addition district plans had been developed in conjunction with district councils across the county and would be used together with the Policy and Plan to deliver the winter service. 

(12)     The Winter Service Policy set out Highways and Transportation’s arrangements to deliver a winter service across Kent. The following revisions had been made:-

(a)       Identification of an Overall Winter Service and Core Winter Service    Period

(b)       Minimum winter service network

(c)        Levels of salt needed to maintain resilience for the (a) and (b) above

(d)       Salt bins would be identified on a map on Kent.gov

(e)       A new three year contract to provide a winter weather forecast service would be in place for the start of the winter service season

(13)     RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member be recommended to approve the updated Winter Service Policy for 2012/13.