The Senior Highways Officer, introduced the report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services which sought the Committee’s approval of the disbursement of grant funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA) City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/2023 into Wirral Council’s Capital Programme for Highways Structural Maintenance and Bridge Maintenance. The report also requested approval for the disbursement of the indicative funding for years 2023/24, 2024/25, 2025/26, and 2026/27, in the same programme. The report also requested acceptance of an indicative highway condition matrix that would be used to inform future programme investment decisions.

In response to member questions in relation to which roads were eligible, it was confirmed that eligibility was determined using a long development process that members were involved in, this was looked at in further detail to determine which attributes would trigger eligibility. In response to a question regarding the overall deliverability of the scheme, it was explained that the scheme was considered deliverable taking into account the regular maintenance, and the fact that the work was planned to take place over multiple years. It was reported that a trial period was used to assure the longevity and cost effectiveness of the material used.

Resolved – That

(1)  The allocation of indicative grant funding likely to be allocated to Wirral Council in the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Combined Authority Transport Plan programme (Highways Structural Maintenance) amongst the relevant subject areas over the next 4 years, as set out in Appendix 1 to this report be approved and;

(2)  The proposed programme of works for Wirral’s Carriageways, Footway Improvements and Bridge Maintenance for 2022/23, using grant funding allocated to Wirral Council by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) in the 2022/23 City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), Combined Authority Transport Plan Programme (Highways Structural Maintenance), as set out in Appendix 2 to this report be approved and;

(3)  the indicative RAG rated highway network condition matrix as set out in Appendix 3 to this report, to be used by officers as one of the decision tools when developing highway structural maintenance programmes be accepted, and

The Director of Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Chair and Party Spokespersons of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee, be authorised to revise or amend the delivery or implementation of the work programmes, as deemed necessary, having due regard for the available resources and applicable risk-based prioritisation of locations selected for intervention and treatment.