The Assistant Director: Highways and Infrastructure introduced the report of the Director of Neighbourhood Services which provided Members with an update on the highway Network Management Plan (NMP). The NMP outlined the Council’s approach to the Network Management Duty placed upon it by the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA). The aim of the TMA was to improve overall network performance. The updated plan reflected a full review to the local network arrangements, changes in national and local priorities as well as any legislative changes.

Members highlighted the importance of emergency services getting through the roads when necessary and that a lot of the roads in the borough were built prior to the amount of traffic present today and how the plan would be implemented on narrowed roads. The Assistant Director: Highways and infrastructure informed the committee there had been an increase in vehicles having to park partially on the pavement to ensure there was room for traffic to move through and that work would be done with local communities to identify the best way forward.

In response to Member queries regarding the removal of the flyover at Queensway tunnel The Assistant Director: Highways and infrastructure advised that traffic modelling was ongoing and that officers were clear on what the network management duty was whilst still moving the volume of traffic.

Members sought clarification on the powers of the Council in instances of abandoned vehicles and vehicles for sale taking up priority parking spaces on the highway. The Assistant Director: Highways and infrastructure informed the committee that the Council works with the police closely on obstructions on the highway and have been able to remove vehicles previously. It was further clarified that the Council has the resources to remove vehicles being sold on the highway if they were not fully taxed and legally able to be on the road.

The Chair noted that sat nav’s were directing vehicles on roads not designed for through traffic and queried whether the Council could work with sat nav companies to direct traffic onto main roads instead. The Assistant Director: Highways and infrastructure advised that Members would receive a briefing note on the matter but ultimately sat nav’s used an algorithm that would direct traffic onto popular routes and whilst companies could reset the algorithm to make the required changes, but it would revert once traffic opted to use the route again.

Resolved – That the draft highway Network Management Plan, as set out in Appendix A to this report be approved and the Director of Neighbourhood Services be authorised to finalise any further minor changes in consultation with the Chair and Spokespersons of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee.