
Westmorland and Furness Council agreed on a strategy to manage its highways assets.
The plan outlines the management of over 2,600 miles of highway network, 1,400 miles of footpaths and cycleways, more than 2,000 bridges and structures, 72,000 drainage gullies, and 20,000 streetlights.
All these assets have an estimated combined value of £4 billion.
The Highway Asset Management Strategy, approved last week, will guide the council's investment in the highway network and the delivery of highway services.
The strategy also considers the condition of the highways, public needs, and local priorities.
It aims to make the best use of available resources and considers the impact of work on the environment, communities, and the workforce.
Councillor Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council's cabinet member for highways and ICT, highlighted the importance of roads in keeping people and places connected.
He said: "Highways are essential to our daily lives, especially in a rural area such as Westmorland and Furness, where there is a high dependency on road journeys."
The network in Westmorland and Furness is an ageing asset that has been affected by recent extreme weather events.
Councillor Thornton said: "Maintaining this asset to the standards expected within the resources available will always remain a challenge, but this strategy sets out how we will do this in a strategic and efficient way."
A report to the cabinet meeting acknowledged the challenges of maintaining the highway at its current condition with the existing levels of government funding.
It stated: "The council continues to face significant challenges in maintaining the highway at its current condition with the existing levels of Government funding, which are insufficient to prevent further deterioration of the network."
The council has had to demonstrate good asset management practices, efficiency measures, and improvements across all aspects of the highway service to secure the maximum possible funding from the Department for Transport (DfT).
Comentarios