Purpose
This policy provides a clear framework for managing the Council’s highway assets effectively, delivering best value, and supporting strategic priorities while meeting the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors. It ensures compliance with statutory obligations under the Highways Act 1980 and aligns with the principles set out in the Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice.
Vision
This policy supports the Council’s strategic vision of “Building a positive future where everyone thrives” by ensuring highway infrastructure assets enable safe, sustainable, and inclusive mobility, foster economic growth, protect the environment, and connect communities.
Policy Commitments
- Align with Strategic Priorities: Ensure asset management decisions contribute to economic inclusion, environmental sustainability, community safety, and service improvement.
- Ensure Compliance: Adhere to all relevant laws, regulations, and standards, including statutory obligations and codes of practice.
- Integrate with Other Policies: Maintain consistency with corporate and directorate policies, including financial stewardship and sustainability commitments.
- Provide a framework for Strategy and Plans: Guide the development of asset management strategies, objectives, and plans that reflect whole-life value and risk based decision-making.
- Embed Risk Management: Apply a risk-based approach that actively manages rather than avoids risk to prioritise interventions based on safety, service impact, value for money and asset condition.
- Promote Continuous Improvement: Require all those involved in the Highways and Traffic Management Service to use performance data, innovation, and collaboration to improve practices continually.
- Act Transparently and Responsibly: Ensure decisions are evidence-based, accountable, and informed by stakeholder engagement.
Principles
- Whole-Life Value: Consider long-term costs, benefits, and sustainability in investment decisions.
- Customer Focus: Engage with communities to shape service delivery and improve satisfaction.
- Sustainability and Resilience: Reduce carbon emissions, enhance resilience, and protect biodiversity.
Review and Compliance
This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure ongoing compliance with legislation, regulations, and good practice, with a formal review every two years or sooner if required.