Delivering our highways - further information

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Help shape the way highways services are delivered

The Highways Service keeps the borough's road network moving and is important to everyone, from residents and visitors to the emergency services and travel companies.

As the Council's current highways contract is coming to an end, we want your views to help us decide how we deliver our Highways Service in the future.

Financial pressures are increasing due to reduced Government funding, combined with competing demands for general road maintenance and new capital projects. This means we will need to be both prudent and innovative in our future approach.

With this in mind, we want to hear your views on:

  • Your experience of the current service
  • The areas you think should be prioritised in the future
  • Our vision for the Highways Service
  • Key criteria for the new service.

Why are we consulting?

In October 2012, Cheshire West and Chester Council entered in to a contract with Ringway Infrastructure Services to provide its highways services, with some aspects of the service's work remaining in-house. The contract was let on an initial term of six years with an option to extend the contract by up to four years.

The Council’s current highways contract is coming to the end, and now is an ideal opportunity for the Council to explore how to approach the delivery of the Highways Service in a way that secures value for money while meeting the needs of the borough both now and in the future.

Feedback from this consultation, along with results from the annual National Highways Transport (NHT) Network survey, which is currently collecting views from a random sample of our residents, will be used to inform decisions on how we deliver our service in the future.

What is the Highways Service – what does it do?

Currently, the Highways Service manages and maintains a wide variety of assets.

This includes:

  • 392 bridges
  • 115 structures
  • 5 historic bridges
  • 87 retaining walls
  • 950km winter service
  • 2,279km of highways
  • 50,000 trees
  • 81,000 gullies
  • Cycle routes
  • 52,000 street lights
  • 7,000 streetlighting repairs
  • 140 traffic signals junctions
  • 110 signalled crossings
  • 268 interactive signs
  • 4,902 illuminated signs and bollards
  • 1,280km public rights of way
  • 45,065 road signs
  • 2,443km footways
  • 70,000 sq m of preventative treatments
  • 47,000 sq m of resurfacing
  • 17,500 minor repairs
  • 9,000 Streetworks permits issued
  • 1,650 Fixed Penalty Notices for breaches.

There is considerable uncertainty about future budgets and demands on Council services continue to rise. The Council’s budget remains incredibly tight. It needs to bridge a £67 million funding gap over the next four years. After business rates and council tax are accounted for, the gap remains between £11 million and £27 million, depending on the national funding available.

In such a constrained financial environment, we need to make difficult choices about which projects we fund in line with our priorities.

As well as helping secure improvements to our communities and services, capital investment can help the Council improve its sustainability, both financially and environmentally; for example, by moving to greener and fuel-efficient vehicles to deliver services, generating little or no carbon footprint. This will help to support the national and local agenda of a zero-carbon emission borough in the future.

Other pressures:

  • Roads, pavements, bridges and street lights are deteriorating assets which need long-term maintenance
  • Increasing customer demand
  • More extreme weather conditions
  • Supply chain availability/skill shortages
  • Ensuring urgent work on the road network meets the required quality standards.

What options are we considering?

The Highways Service is currently delivered through a contract with a private provider with some in-house provision. As this contract comes to an end, it provides an opportunity to review the service and ensure that it is delivered in line with the needs of residents, drives continuous improvement and provides value for money. This includes prioritising key activities and looking at the scope of the services that should be included, such as adding in professional design services.

All options for the future delivery of this service will be considered, including in-house, a council controlled company, a joint venture, an external provider or a combination of both. The future delivery model will be shaped by the outcome of this consultation and the priorities and scope it identifies for future service provision.

Help shape the way highways services are delivered

The Highways Service keeps the borough's road network moving and is important to everyone, from residents and visitors to the emergency services and travel companies.

As the Council's current highways contract is coming to an end, we want your views to help us decide how we deliver our Highways Service in the future.

Financial pressures are increasing due to reduced Government funding, combined with competing demands for general road maintenance and new capital projects. This means we will need to be both prudent and innovative in our future approach.

With this in mind, we want to hear your views on:

  • Your experience of the current service
  • The areas you think should be prioritised in the future
  • Our vision for the Highways Service
  • Key criteria for the new service.

Why are we consulting?

In October 2012, Cheshire West and Chester Council entered in to a contract with Ringway Infrastructure Services to provide its highways services, with some aspects of the service's work remaining in-house. The contract was let on an initial term of six years with an option to extend the contract by up to four years.

The Council’s current highways contract is coming to the end, and now is an ideal opportunity for the Council to explore how to approach the delivery of the Highways Service in a way that secures value for money while meeting the needs of the borough both now and in the future.

Feedback from this consultation, along with results from the annual National Highways Transport (NHT) Network survey, which is currently collecting views from a random sample of our residents, will be used to inform decisions on how we deliver our service in the future.

What is the Highways Service – what does it do?

Currently, the Highways Service manages and maintains a wide variety of assets.

This includes:

  • 392 bridges
  • 115 structures
  • 5 historic bridges
  • 87 retaining walls
  • 950km winter service
  • 2,279km of highways
  • 50,000 trees
  • 81,000 gullies
  • Cycle routes
  • 52,000 street lights
  • 7,000 streetlighting repairs
  • 140 traffic signals junctions
  • 110 signalled crossings
  • 268 interactive signs
  • 4,902 illuminated signs and bollards
  • 1,280km public rights of way
  • 45,065 road signs
  • 2,443km footways
  • 70,000 sq m of preventative treatments
  • 47,000 sq m of resurfacing
  • 17,500 minor repairs
  • 9,000 Streetworks permits issued
  • 1,650 Fixed Penalty Notices for breaches.

There is considerable uncertainty about future budgets and demands on Council services continue to rise. The Council’s budget remains incredibly tight. It needs to bridge a £67 million funding gap over the next four years. After business rates and council tax are accounted for, the gap remains between £11 million and £27 million, depending on the national funding available.

In such a constrained financial environment, we need to make difficult choices about which projects we fund in line with our priorities.

As well as helping secure improvements to our communities and services, capital investment can help the Council improve its sustainability, both financially and environmentally; for example, by moving to greener and fuel-efficient vehicles to deliver services, generating little or no carbon footprint. This will help to support the national and local agenda of a zero-carbon emission borough in the future.

Other pressures:

  • Roads, pavements, bridges and street lights are deteriorating assets which need long-term maintenance
  • Increasing customer demand
  • More extreme weather conditions
  • Supply chain availability/skill shortages
  • Ensuring urgent work on the road network meets the required quality standards.

What options are we considering?

The Highways Service is currently delivered through a contract with a private provider with some in-house provision. As this contract comes to an end, it provides an opportunity to review the service and ensure that it is delivered in line with the needs of residents, drives continuous improvement and provides value for money. This includes prioritising key activities and looking at the scope of the services that should be included, such as adding in professional design services.

All options for the future delivery of this service will be considered, including in-house, a council controlled company, a joint venture, an external provider or a combination of both. The future delivery model will be shaped by the outcome of this consultation and the priorities and scope it identifies for future service provision.