Prepared by: Bill Manby

Job Title: Head of Highways and Fleet

Date: July 2020

VERSION CONTROL

Version	Date	Details	Prepared by:	Reviewed by:	Approved by:
1	04/2020	Draft	S.Mahmoodshahi
2	07/2020	2nd draft	S.Mahmoodshahi
3	10/2020	Final draft	S.Mahmoodshahi
4	11/2020	Peer review incorp	S.Mahmoodshahi

CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Highway Safety Inspections..................................................................................................... 1

1.2 ReferenceDocuments................................................................................................................... 1

1.3 Inspection Manual Audits and Ongoing Maintenance........................................... 1

2 HIGHWAY SAFETY INSPECTIONS - REGIME...................................................................... 4

2.1 Highways Asset Management Framework.................................................................... 4

2.2 Network Hierarchy......................................................................................................................... 5

2.3 Safety Inspection Frequency.................................................................................................... 8

2.4 Defect Investigatory Levels.................................................................................................. 10

3 HIGHWAY SAFETY INSPECTIONS – PROCESS & PROCEDURE.............................. 16

3.1 Inspection Process........................................................................................................................ 16

3.2 Inspection Procedure.................................................................................................................. 17

3.3 Defect Priority & Response...................................................................................................... 21

4 HIGHWAY SAFETY INSPECTIONS - IMPLEMENTATION........................................ 23

4.1 Undertaking Inspections.......................................................................................................... 23

4.2 ApparatusInspected................................................................................................................... 26

4.3 Inspector Competency and Training............................................................................... 27

TABLES

TABLE 1 – NETWORKCATEGORIES................................................................................................. 5

TABLE 2 - NETWORKFEATURES........................................................................................................... 5

TABLE 3 – SAMPLE ASSESSMENT..................................................................................................... 6

TABLE 4 – NETWORKHIERARCHY................................................................................................... 7

TABLE 5 – INSPECTION FREQUENCY............................................................................................. 8

TABLE 6 – INVESTIGATORY LEVELS........................................................................................... 11

TABLE 7 – DEFECTPRIORITIES......................................................................................................... 21

FIGURES

FIGURE 1 - RELEVANTDOCUMENTS................................................................................................. 3

FIGURE 2 - HIGHWAYS ASSET MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK........................................ 4

FIGURE 3 – RISK DECISIONPROCESS.......................................................................................... 16

FIGURE 4 – DEFECT DECISION PROCEDURE (THIRD PARTY REPORT)................... 17

FIGURE 5 – SAFETY INSPECTION DEFECT DECISION PROCEDURE.......................... 17

FIGURE 6 - QUALITATIVE EVALUATION MATRIX............................................................ 20

FIGURE 7 – STREETWORKS ACT OF 1981 (NRSWA) DEFECTS...................................... 25

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Highway Safety Inspections

This Highway Safety Inspection Manual supersedes all previous versions issued by the City of York Council (the Council), for details see version control information above. The manual sets out the standards and provides guidance on the Councils approach to highway safety inspection on the City of York’s highways network.

Highway safety inspections are designed to identify all defects likely to create danger or serious inconvenience to users of the network or the wider community. In order to keep the highways in a safe condition we regularly inspect the City of York highway network. The highway inspections support the Council’s ‘duty to maintain highways maintainable highway at public expense’, as prescribed by Section 41 of the HighwaysAct 1980. Appliedin a structured manner as part of an ongoing regime, the inspections also provides the Council with a defence against action pertaining to alleged failure to maintain on grounds that the authority has taken such care as in all the circumstances was reasonably required to secure that the part of the highway in question was not dangerous for traffic, as prescribed by Section 58 of the HighwaysAct 1980.

1.2 Reference Documents

See Figure 1 (Relevant Documents) overleaf.

The manual has been prepared by direct reference to the following documents:

(1) Highways Act 1980.

(2) Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code), and all documents referred to therein (the Code).

(3) Well Managed Highway Liability and Risk Guidance (IHE 2017), and all documents referred to therein.

The code recommends that:

This Code, in conjunction with the UKRLG Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Guidance, should be used as the starting point against which to develop, review and formally approve highway infrastructure maintenance policy and to identify and formally approve the nature and extent of any variations. [HIAMG recommendation 1]

1.3 InspectionManual Audits and Ongoing Maintenance

1.3.1 Audits

To ensure consistency in highway safety inspections and customer enquiries, an annual audit by the senior officer will be carried out. This will cross-check uniformity in the type of defects that are being raised and the way they are reported between the highway inspectors. Upon completion of the audit an output report will be provided.

2 HIGHWAYSAFETY INSPECTIONS - REGIME

2.1 HighwaysAsset Management Framework

An Asset Management Framework should be developed and endorsed by senior decision makers. All activities outlined in the Framework should be documented. [HIAMG recommendation 2]

The Councils highways asset management framework is outlined in the table below.

Figure 2 - Highways Asset Management Framework

2.2 Network Hierarchy

2.2.1 Recommendation

The Code makes the following recommendation, -

A network hierarchy, or a series of related hierarchies, should be defined which include all elements of the highway network, including carriageways, footways, cycle routes, structures, lighting and rights of way. The hierarchy should take into account current and expected use, resilience, and local economic and social factors such as industry, schools, hospitals and similar, as well as the desirability of continuity and of a consistent approach for walkingand cycling.

Ref: Recommendation 12 Network Hierarchy - Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code), and all documents referred to therein.

2.2.2 Hierarchy Determination

A full network hierarchy has been determined by assigning a network category to each road section length. The assessment has been carried out by application of a desk-top review using available data. There are five (5) network categories as described in table 1 (Network Categories) below.

Table 1 – Network Categories

Network Category	Description
A	Prestige
B	Very high
C	High
D	Medium
E	Low

Network category ‘A’ (Prestige) is reserved for high-impact or high-profile elements of the highway network.

Network categories ‘B’ to ‘E’ are (were) allotted by assessment and review of each road section against the following features. The network features are as described in table 2 (Network Features) below.

Table 2 - Network Features

Network Feature	Descriptions
Traffic Volume	Road category and traffic flow data
Traffic generators	City Centre, Schools, railway stations, industrial estates
Cyclists	Cycle route traffic flow and type (eg, on road, not on road)
Buses	Bus route information and buses on road per hour
Risk	Historical insurance claim risk
Other uses	Events, GP surgeries, hospitals, etc,.

The network categories and features combined with the descriptions as applied to the full network hierarchy assessment has been formalised in table 4 (Network Hierarchy) on page 7 below.

2.2.3 Sample assessment

The network category assigned to ‘Lord Mayors Walk, Guildhall’ was determined by desktop identification and assessment of each network feature as described in table 3 (Sample Assessment) below.

Table 3 – Sample Assessment

Network Feature

Descriptions

Network Category (Determined)

Traffic Volume	A road = very high traffic use	B
Traffic generators	Town Centre	B
Cyclists	Cycle route on road	C
Buses	No buses (or very low bus use)	E
Risk	No insurance risks identified	E
Other uses	GP surgery	D

Assessment (‘Lord Mayors Walk, Guildhall’)

Network Feature = Traffic Generator = Busy City Centre Network Category = Guildhall = Very High = B

The highest network category determined by the assessment is ‘B’ this road section length is therefore defined as a ‘B’.

2.2.4 Continuous Improvement

The network categories assigned by the first assessment is not definitive, this is a living assessment that should be updated continuously based on stakeholder recommendation and network functional change of use & new developments.

If any member of the highway asset management team identifies a road that requires an enhanced level of inspection on a temporary or permanent basis then the road will be re-categorised accordingly.

In addition to ongoing updates the Council will use available data and reports to review the network categories applicable to each road section length on an annual basis.

Table 4 – Network Hierarchy

Criteria

Description

Network Category

Prestige Network

Prestige

DfT / Highways England, Primary road, local high impact or high-profile locations

Traffic volume	Very high	‘A’ road or need based on local knowledge, pedestrian movement	B
Traffic generators		School ≥1500 pupils, City / town centre, Railway stations >9m passengers p.a.
Cyclists		If ‘high traffic’ and a dedicated cycle lane exists
Buses		Buses ≥50 per hour
Risk		Based on local knowledge (eg, City Walls)
Other uses		Essential service - based on local knowledge

Traffic volume	High	‘A’ or ‘B’ road and need based on local knowledge, pedestrian movement	C
Traffic generators		School ≥500 ≤1499 pupils, railway stations ≥4 ≤9m passengers p.a., district centres
Cyclists		Based on local knowledge
Buses		Buses ≥15 ≤50 per hour
Risk		Settled / open compensation claims ≥5 p.a.
Other uses		Event venues

Traffic volume	Medium	Based on local knowledge	D
Traffic generators		School ≤500, Railway stations <4m passengers p.a., Strategic industrial areas (HGV use), Place of worship
Cyclists		National cycle network
Buses		Buses <15 per hour
Historic risk		Settled / open compensation claims <5 p.a.
Other uses		Vulnerable users - Care home, GP surgery, etc,.

Traffic volume	Low	Based on local knowledge	E
Traffic generators		None identified
Cyclists		Not a defined cycle network
Buses		Not on a bus route
Historic risk		No evidence of compensation claims
Other uses		None identified

2.3 Safety Inspection Frequency

2.3.1 Recommendation

The Code makes the following recommendation, -

A risk-based inspection regime, including regular safety inspections, should be developed and implemented for all highway assets.

Ref: Recommendation 16 Inspections - Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code), and all documents referred to therein.

2.3.2 InspectionFrequency

The Council has defined a safety inspection frequency applicable to each network category as described in table 5 (Inspection Frequency) below.

Table 5 – Inspection Frequency

Network Category	Description*	Inspection Frequency	Inspections per annum**
A	Primary / Prestige	Bi-monthly	24	12	(driven)
A	Primary / Prestige	Bi-monthly	24	12	(walked)
B	Very high use	Monthly	12	4	(driven)
B	Very high use	Monthly	12	8	(walked)
C	High use	Quarterly	4	4	(walked)
D	Medium use	Bi-yearly	2	2	(walked)
E	Low use	Yearly	1	1	(walked)

* For a detailed description see table 4 (Network Hierarchy) above.

** Routes that cannot be accessed on foot (walked) should be driven at the same inspection frequencies.

2.3.3 Enhanced Inspection Frequencies

The Council may programme enhanced safety inspection frequencies in response to any one of the following:

(a) Reports or complaints from network stakeholders (eg, the emergency services and other organisations);

(b) Community concern, namely reports or complaints from members of the public;

(d) Pre- winter serviceinspection on alreadydefined gritting routes;

(e) Temporary diversion routes (especially bus routes);

(f) Minor networkincidents.

2.4 Defect Investigatory Levels

The Code makes the following recommendation, -

An asset condition survey regime based on asset management needs and any statutory reporting requirements should be developed and implemented.

Ref: Recommendation 17 Condition Surveys - Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code), and all documents referred to therein.

2.4.1 Investigatory Levels

The Council has established and recorded investigatory levels for highway safety inspections. The investigatory levels are describedin table 6 (Investigatory Levels) below.

The ‘investigatory level’is not and intervention level.The term ‘investigatory level’ has been used deliberately to remove any expectation that a repair (intervention) will automatically take place when an investigatory level has been reached.

If an inspection reveals that investigatory levels have been reached or exceeded a risk assessment will be carried out to determine the likely risk (for details, see section 3.2 (Inspection Procedure). If the requirement for a repair (intervention) is determined the highway inspector will instruct the works by assigning the appropriate priority and response / repair time (for details, see section 3.3 (Defect Priority and Response).

2.4.2 Continuous Improvement

The investigatory levels assigned to each safety inspection asset type as described in table 6 (Investigatory Levels)have been established by the Council.The review and assessment carried out by the Council to establish the levels has been recorded in a separatedocument – see document reference: City of York, Highway Investigatory Levels.

Adjustments made to the investigatory levels will be reviewed updated on a biennial basis. A formal record of each review will be recorded by update of the City of York, Highway Investigatory Levels document.

Table 6 – Investigatory Levels

Item	Description	Defect	Investigatory Level
1	Carriageway	Potholes or loss of surface.	≥40mm vertical face depth; and ≥200mm across in any horizontal direction.
2	Carriageway	Misaligned ironworks > Manholes / Access Covers; > Catch-pit Covers; > Gullies; > Kerb outlet; > Utilities covers and frames.	≥40mm misalignment in the vertical face.
3	Carriageway > Cycle lanes; > Pedestrian crossing points.	Potholes or loss of surface.	≥20mm vertical face depth; and ≥200mm across in any horizontal direction.
4	Carriageway > Cycle lanes; > Pedestrian crossing points.	Misaligned ironworks > Manholes / Access Covers; > Catch-pit Covers; > Gullies; > Kerb outlet; > Utilities covers and frames.	≥20mm misalignment in the vertical face.

Item	Description	Defect	Investigatory Level
5	Modular footway / footpath.	Misaligned or rocking flags, slabs or ironworks.	≥20mm misalignment in the vertical face.
6	Bituminous footway / footpath.	(a) Potholes or loss of surface. (b) Misalignment of surface or ironworks. (c) Cracks.	(a) & (b) ≥20mm misalignment in the vertical face. (c) ≥20mm vertical face depth and ≥50mm across in any horizontal direction.
7	Kerbs.	Dislodged or misaligned kerbs.	≥40mm vertical face depth and ≥40mm across in any horizontal direction.
8	Kerbs > Cycle lanes; > Pedestrian crossing points.	Dislodged or misaligned kerbs.	≥20mm vertical face depth and ≥20mm across in any horizontal direction.

Item	Description	Defect	Investigatory Level
9	Soft Verge	Sunken area adjacent to and running parallel with carriageway or footway edge. Illegal placement of parking preventions.	Defect present.
10	Flooding or standing water.	Standing or running water.	Highway obstructed by water.
11	Safety fencing and barriers includes: > Fences and barriers; > Pedestrian guardrails; > Safety fencing; > Boundary walls and fences.	Missing, damaged, unstable, or misaligned.	Defect present.
12	Road markings.	Missing, faded or worn markings.	Road safety issue determined by inspection.

Item	Description	Defect	Investigatory Level
13	Trees and vegetation.	Unstable tree causing danger of collapse onto highway. Overhanging tree leading to loss of height clearance over carriageway, footway or cycle way. Less than 2.1m over footways, 2.4m over cycle ways, >5.1m over carriageways. Tree roots causing damage to pavement (highway, footway or footpath).	Defect present.
14	Electrical / illuminated apparatus > illuminated signs, bollards & beacons; > Lighting columns and wall mountings > Traffic & pedestrian signals; > All other electrical.	Missing, damaged or misaligned. Lights or signal not operating as intended. Signal head pointing the wrong way. Exposed wiring or damage. Missing door to lamp column. Obscured/ dirty/faded.	Defect present
15	Signs & bollards (non- illuminated)	Missing, damaged or misaligned. Obscured, dirty or faded.	Defect present

Item

Description

Defect

Investigatory Level

Bridge under, Bridge over, Subway, Embankment / Cutting, Retaining Wall.

Note; this includes historic monuments and City walls.

Bridge strike, damaged parapet, abutment settlement, expansion joint failure, cracking, bulging, slip hazards.

Defect present.

Other issue that represent a danger on the highway.

Obstructions, hazards, sight-line obscuration, missing or damaged

> street furniture;

> Scaffolding, skips, building materials causing a hazard;

> abandoned vehicles.

Defect present.

3 HIGHWAY SAFETYINSPECTIONS – PROCESS& PROCEDURE

3.1 InspectionProcess

The Code makes the following recommendation, -

A risk-based approach should be adopted for all aspects of highway infrastructure maintenance, including setting levels of service, inspections, responses, resilience, priorities and programmes.

Ref: Recommendation 7 Risk Based Approach - Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code), and all documents referred to therein.

3.1.1 Decision Process

The Council has a Risk Management Policy and Strategy & supporting Risk Management Guide. The decision process applied by the Council’s policy and strategy, and guidance is as outlined in figure 3 below.

Figure 3 – Risk Decision Process

Monitor Identify

Start

Investigatory Y level met?

Defect Reported

Defect Ok until

next inspection

Recorddetails

Repair Y

Risk assessment

Record details

Take photographs

required?

N
No repair instructed

END

Inform stakeholder of outcome

Take photographs

No repair

instructed END

Assign priority & repair instructed

Risk assessment

Record details

Inform stakeholder of outcome

Take photographs

END

Note; For all reported defect events the highway inspector will record the inspection details and take photographs.

3.2.2 Safety Inspection Defect Reports

When a defect is identified by a highway inspector during a safety inspection the highway inspector will follow the process described in the flow chart below.

Figure 5 – Safety Inspection Defect Decision Procedure

Note; For all identified defect events the highway inspector will record the inspection details and take photographs.

3.2.3 Risk Assessment

The risk assessment will assess the likelihood and consequence of an event occurrence by application of the qualitative evaluation matrix detailed in figure 6 below. This approachwill allow the defect identified to be analysedin a systematic manner to highlight which risks are the most severe and which are unacceptably high.

The overall risk is assessed and then quantified by calculation, the formula being Risk = Likelihood x Consequence. The score applied to each assessment criteria is determined by reference to the qualitative evaluation matrix detailed in figures 6 below.

3.2.4 Insurance Claims

When defects that may result in, or are in response to, an insurance claim the inspector shall report the details to the Council officer responsible for insurance claims.

3.2.5 Sample Risk Assessment Please reference figure 6 below.

A sample risk assessment has been included below, -

Scenario = A collapsed gulley cover is reported by a third party. When located it is found that the collapsed gulley cover is in the carriageway verge area on an open road and it represents a risk to road users, especially cyclists.

Likelihood = The event has already happened so the event hasalready happened; likelihood of the issuehaving an impacton a network user is therefore very high (score = 5).

Consequence = The event could cause a road traffic accident if left unattended, consequence is there for very high (score = 5).

Figure 6 - Qualitative Evaluation Matrix

Risk e (

P ≥ 15

P2 3

Note; For priority P3 to P4 the highway inspectors will assess the situation on site and assign a priority code based on circumstances.

3.3 Defect Priority & Response

3.3.1 Recommendation

The Code makes the following recommendation, -

In developing priorities and programmes, consideration should be given to prioritising across asset groups as well as within them.

Ref: Recommendation 30 Cross Asset Priorities - Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code), and all documents referred to therein.

3.3.2 Defect Priorities & Response Times

The Council has established and recorded defect priorities and response times for highway safety inspections. The recorded defect priorities and response times are detailed in table 7 (Defect Priorities) below.

Table 7 – Defect Priorities

Priority Code	Priority	Response / Repair Time*	Description	Prime Considerations
P1	Emergency (very high)	2 hours	Make safe	Dangerous and/or likely to cause major disruption. Normally a temporary repair. May need reassigned priority after temporary repair.
P2	Urgent (high)	24 hours	Make safe	Normally a temporary repair. May need reassigned priority after temporary repair. Street-works permit requirement.
P3	Non-urgent (high)	7 days	Permanent repair	Materials available or easy to procure. Street-works permit requirement.
P4	Non-urgent (high/medium)	14 days	Permanent repair	Additional time for allocation for materials procurement. Street-works permit requirement.
P5	Non-urgent (low)	28 days	Permanent repair	Additional time for allocation for materials procurement. Identified as a repair that may be co-ordinated with

other works.

Street-works permit requirement.

Planned works (low)

n/a

Works normally programme for completion within 14 weeks.

Street-works permit requirement.

* Note; days refers to all seven (7) days in the week not business days.

3.3.3 Defect Reporting

Defects may be reported by planned highway inspections or by customer enquiry.

Defects reported by Council Officers will be recorded directly onto the Council’s Asset Management System.

Defects reported by the customers will be recorded on the Council’s website or by telephone via the Council’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

3.3.4 Continuous Improvement

The priority levels and response times applicable to the repair of defects has been established by the Council. The priority response times will be reviewed and adjusted if deemed necessary on an annual basis.

4 HIGHWAY SAFETYINSPECTIONS - IMPLEMENTATION

4.1 Undertaking Inspections

4.1.1 Inspection Programme

Safety inspections will be programmed for each road section by reference to the Safety inspection frequencies described in section 2.3.2 (Inspection Frequency) and the last inspection date.

During bad weather such as snow days and heavy rainfall, inspection in accordance with the programme may not be possible. When this happens inspectors shall missed inspections.

If inspections are missed the Council will re-programme quarterly, bi-annual and annual inspections for completion as soon as is possible after the originally scheduled date. For bi-monthly & monthly inspections, missed inspections will for part of the following month’s inspection.

4.1.2 Inspection Equipment

Each highway inspector will carry the following equipment when carrying out highway safety inspections, -

Traffic management equipment - Communication - Mobile phone

Measurement - Tape measure,spirit level

Site markings - White spray paint, chalk or crayon

H&S - Point of work risk assessmenttemplate

4.1.3 Marking andMeasurement

All defects should, where possible and safe to do so, be marked in white spray paint or crayon. The defects should wherever possible be marked as outlined below, -

Void to be filled - Mark inner perimeter

recording the defect,the description shouldclearly state that the measurements have been estimated.

Where possible and safe to do so the depth,height and area of a defect shouldbe measured using a tape measureto allow an accurate measurement to be obtained.

4.1.4 Inspection Photographs

When a defect is identified photographs will be taken – each photograph will be referenced to the site, with its location and date of inspection. The photographs will be taken in a manner that provides enough information to highlight the scale of the defect and its location. Photographs of notable defects that are deemed to be low risk will also be taken.

4.1.5 Walked Inspections

Walked inspections will be undertaken as accurately as possible ensuring that the full length and all parts of the highway are inspected. If it is not possible to view the full area to be inspected by one walkthrough then the method of inspection should be to walk both sides of the highway.

If there are parked vehicles on the highway the highway inspector will take reasonable steps where appropriate to view the area around and under obstructed by the vehicle.

4.1.6 Driven Inspections

Driven inspections shouldbe at a speed that allows any defects on the carriageway or, where appropriate, on the adjacent footway, to be seen. If it is not possible to view the full area to be inspected by one drive through, then the method of inspection shouldbe to drive in bothdirections (where allowed)along the highway.

Driven inspections will be undertaken by two Council Officers, comprising of a driver responsible for driving the vehicle and a highway inspector responsible for the safety inspection. When a defect is observed then the vehicle will be stopped in a safe position to allow the highway inspector to measure and mark the defect.

4.1.7 Missed Inspections

If highway safety inspections are missed for reasons beyond the Councils control (for example, highway inspector absence or inclement weather) inspections will be re-programmed for completion within the first two weeks of the following month.

If highway safety inspections are missed the reason for missing the inspections will be recorded on the Councils system.

4.1.8 Defect Notification

Highway Defects (General), - When a defect is identified defect notes notifications will be raised on the Councils system using an electronic hand-held device. All the necessary fields on the defect notification sheet within the hand-held should be completed outlining the defect identified, its location, remedial work necessary. A

brief description of the defect identified should also be included in the respective field.

Roadwork Defects, - When a roadworks defect is identified and reported to the Council the procedure for raising roadworks defects will be applied. Section 2.2 (Inspection Procedure).

Section 72 (Materials, Workmanship, and Standard of Reinstatement) - When a statutory utility reinstatement defect is identified the defect will be raised on the Councils system usingan electronic hand-held device. The Councilwill then further investigate the origin of the reinstatement so that any costs can be passed on to the utility undertaker.

If the defect represents an immediate hazard, the highway inspector will also ensure that the site is made safe prior before leaving site. This may mean closing the highway or forms of traffic management. All costs incurred by the Council will be passed to the utility undertaker as set in NRSWA.

Third Party Identified Defects, - All external enquiries related to the highway network will be recorded on the Councils system and a highway safety inspection request will be issued to the relevant highway inspector. The highway inspector will treat the defect as a highways defect and apply the process described above.

If the third-party informant indicates that the defect may be a source of danger the Council will raise the issue as an emergency and ensure that a highway inspector attends site within two (2) hours of being informed. New Roads and

Streetworks Act of 1981 (NRSWA) Defects, - Section 81 (Duty to Maintain Apparatus) - When a statutory utility defect is identified by a highway inspector during a safety inspection the Council will follow the process describedin the flow chart below.

Figure 7 – Streetworks Act of 1981 (NRSWA) Defects

Start

If a utility rejects the notice on the grounds that the apparatus is not under their ownership then the Council will identify an alternative owner and repeat the process.

4.2 Apparatus Inspected

The highway assets included within highway safety inspections will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

Carriageways Road Studs

Footways & footpaths Non-illuminated traffic signs

Cycleways & cycle-paths Bollards

Car Parks Illuminated signs

Kerbs Pedestrian crossing lights

Edgings Lighting columns

Channels Wall mounted street lighting

Verge All other lighting units

Culverts Fences and barriers

Highway Ditches Pedestrian guardrails

Filter Drains Safety fencing

Grips Boundary walls and fences

Gullies Hedges and Trees.

Piped grips and Kerb inlets Potholes Road markings

The inspection will also cover other highway assets such as street furniture and third-party assets on the highway e.g. [scaffolding and skips].

4.3 Inspector Competency and Training

4.3.1 Recommendation

The Code makes the following recommendation, -

The appropriate competencies for all staff should be identified. Trainingshould be provided where necessary for directly employed staff, and contractors should be required to provide evidence of the appropriate competencies of their staff.

Ref: Recommendation 15 Competencies and Training - Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code), and all documents referred to therein.

4.3.2 Main Duties

The highway inspector is responsible for ensuring that the Council is meeting its statutory duties and complying with all relevant regulations for its highways network. Highway inspector duties include, but is not limited to, the following:

□ Inspect and monitor the Council’s highway network to ensure it is maintained in a safe and serviceable condition and take action for non-compliance under Highways Act;

□ Inspect the integrity and structure of the Council’shighway network, determine any appropriate remedial action that is required and raise task orders instructing the Council’s contract to take action;

□ Inspect and monitor our highway contractor’s work on the public highway to ensure compliance with permit requirements and the Council’s network management responsibilities;

□ Inspect and monitor the Council’s highway networks street trees for defects;

□ Communicate effectively with Highways Traffic and Highways Improvement colleagues and stakeholders in the deliveryof the service;

□ Keep accurate records of inspections and update Highways records.

Provide advice on the HighwaysMaintenance Contractor and to servicecolleagues, elected members, internal departments and members of the public and ensure effective communication with all stakeholders.

4.3.3 Competencies & Training

The Council do ensure that all staff engaged in highway safety inspection works are suitably competent, experienced, and trained.

The Council employs a programme of Continuing Professional Development and training for all directly employed safety inspection staff. This will include:

□ Formal andstructured learning / classroombased with approved supplier;

□ Learning from peers;

□ Work experience;