“I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act relating to a road for which your authority is responsible for maintenance.
My query relates specifically to the B3172 Axmouth Road between Squires Lane and the Harbour Inn, Axmouth and to the B3172 between the entrance to Axmouth Village and the Boshill Hill junction.
In line with this request, please send me:-
1) A copy of your current road maintenance policy relating to that road. Please send me the full policy, which should include details of the intended frequency of road safety inspections, how these inspections should be conducted and the maximum time between identification of a defect and repairs being carried out.
Devon County Council’s Highways Safety Inspection manual can be accessed by following the below link:-
2) A copy of the road repair history for that road over the past year. Again, please send me the full road repair history, which should include:
The road in question is classed as a Category 5 Secondary Primary Route, which is inspected monthly.
Please see road inspection report here – https://devoncc.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/PublicDocs/InfoMgt/EQt0yvSfmE5Jr48nhDGV4bIB4hm9XHSFiJiyaYBi6KRoDA?e=dhHEi7
(a) Dates of all safety inspections between 18 April 2018 and 16 July 2018 with details of how safety inspections were undertaken (walked or driven, speed of inspection vehicle, number of inspectors etc.)
Please refer to above road inspection report link.
Safety inspections were undertaken on 09/04/18, 26/04/18, 30/05/18 and 29/06/18
Carriageway safety inspections are undertaken on a driven basis, with a driver and inspector, at a speed enabling the inspector to observe road surface condition and other associated defects. Please refer to DCC’s Highways Safety Inspection Manual (link provided above).
(b) Details of all carriageway defects identified, with description, date and time of identification
Please refer to above road inspection report link.
(c) Details of how the authority handled these defects, what repairs were undertaken and the time between the identification of each defect and a repair being carried out.”
Please refer to above road inspection report link.
The defect investigatory criteria adopted in relation to the identification of carriageway safety potholes on all inspected categories of road during safety inspections is as follows:-
“Carriageway Defect – Pothole – A pothole (sharp edged depression or void) is a safety defect when it is over 40 mm deep and it is greater than 300mm in any horizontal direction.”
For carriageway potholes meeting this criteria, the following identification and repair criteria apply:
Maintenance Category 3 to 6
Immediate Action – Record.
Temporary Action – fill within 24 hours.
Permanent repair within 7 days if permanent material has not been used under previous action.
For further details please refer to DCC’s Highways Safety Inspection Manual (link provided above).