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Management of road adoption of active and historic road schemes

Steve JohnsonHead of Network Management

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• Session will cover • Background information• Overview of implementation phase

•Legal agreement – Section 38•How the process should work

• Delays to the process• Updates following 2010 Review• Summary of Current S38 Agreements

Highway Adoption - Implementation

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Background information – Highways Maintainable at Public Expense

• HCC do not maintain all roads within the county– Motorways and trunk roads – Highways Agency– Private Roads/Streets – developers, residents, managing companies

• Gazetteer – Statutory Duty - list all publicly maintainable roads– Best practise – record private roads/streets

• HCC as Highway Authority maintain approx 4,920km

• Further 1,091km recorded as private road

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District Publicly maintainable [km]

Private [km]

Broxbourne 279 36

Dacorum 681 117

East Herts 939 311

Hertsmere 374 66

North Herts 813 187

St. Albans 586 118

Stevenage 260 28

Three Rivers 335 77

Watford 212 20

Welwyn and Hatfield 439 131

TOTAL 4,918[km] 1,091[km]

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Overview of Implementation Phase

• Section 38 of the Highways Act 1980– Power of highway authorities to adopt by

agreement– Sets out basis for adoption– HCC recover their costs– Requirements for bond – Requirement for commuted sum – future

maintenance

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Overview of Implementation Phase

• Herts Highways responsible for S38 in

– Dacorum, East Herts, Hertsmere, North Herts, St. Albans, Three Rivers, Watford, Welwyn & Hatfield

• Agency agreements cover– Broxbourne and Stevenage

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Overview of Implementation Phase

• How the process should work

1. Extent of Adoption identified at planning stage

2. Post planning – developer approaches implementation team for application pack

3. Fee estimate provided

4. County Secretaries instructed

5. Detailed Design prepared by developer

6. Designs checked – independent safety audit

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Overview of Implementation Phase

• How the process should work

7. Designs approved (technical approval)

8. Legal agreement signed – bond in place

9. Construction – HCC (Agent) supervise

10. Works completed

11. Completion certificate issued – bond reduced

12. 12 month maintenance starts

13. Stage 3 safety audit carried out – outlined in agreement

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Overview of Implementation Phase

• How the process should work

14. Sewers adopted

15. Final inspection and remedials carried out

16. Maintenance certificate issued

17. Commuted sums paid by develop

18. Bond released

19. Road becomes maintainable at public expense

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Delays to the process• Developer doesn’t enter into agreement at start of project

• Designs change, structures added, additional phases - Highway Authority withhold maintenance certificate

• No direct access onto public highway

• Sewers not adopted

• Land issues to be resolved

• Developers change

• Staff changes – over period of time – schemes inherited

• Design doesn’t comply with HCC standards

• Protracted negotiations on agreement

• Remedial not completed

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Lilbourne Drive – Easements not secured

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Updates following 2010 Review

• one named contact in the Environment Department for districts and developers to contact when dealing with large developments- Implementation stage County split in 3

• continuity of officers dealing with large applications

– Close working between County Council planning and implementation teams

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Updates following 2010 Review

• clarity on the fees to be charged from the outset of agreements

– Fixed fee process for some sites - based on size and quality of submission

– Opportunity for developer/HCC to take joint overview of project

• Remedial works– One list issues but requires developer to complete quickly

– Quick turn-round on street lighting inspections

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Updates following 2010 Review

• Working with utility companies (Sewer adoptions)

– Delays due to:• No agreement

• Outstanding remedials

• No bond

•

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Updates following 2010 Review

• Review of remaining adoptions

– Discussions with developers/housing associations on adoption

• Meeting with developers

– Croudace – 2nd September

– Taylor Wimpey – 17th October

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Summary of HH Section AgreementsDistrict Signed

AgreementAgreement in

Prep stageTotal No. of roads

affected

Broxbourne n/a n/a n/a n/a

Dacorum 4 6 10 15

East Herts 8 13 21 31

Hertsmere 3 2 5 9

North Herts 7 14 21 35

St. Albans 9 15 24 37

Stevenage n/a n/a n/a n/a

Three Rivers 3 3 6 11

Watford 1 6 7 8

Welwyn and Hatfield

11 20 31 43

TOTAL 46 79 125 189

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Improvements• Information on WEBSITE

• Identification of adoption at planning stage

• Guidance on construction standards

• Developers taking more action

• Standard report to HJMP’s

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Summary• Key issues

1. Follow legislation2. Need to work with developers to progress3. Early involvement of Highway Authority4. Land ownership and easements agreed5. Designed and constructed to relevant standards – departures agreed with Highway Authority6. S 38 agreement in place.7. Utility apparatus adopted by relevant authority (sewers)8. Number of roads/streets are private

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Highway Adoption - Implementation

Questions?Questions?