To receive an update from Chris Wheeler, Highway Services Manager, on road maintenance and potholes.

Chris Wheeler, Highways Service Manager, gave an overview of the Borough’s strategic approach on highway maintenance. He informed that there were two aspects to the strategic approach: safety and asset management.

With the safety aspect, Chris Wheeler explained that contracted highways inspectors go out and inspect roads under a set frequency, depending on the road category and certain aspects it possessed (e.g., a school), and flag any safety defects. This was in line with the Borough’s Highways Maintenance Management Plan. In addition, residents also report any road defects in a ‘report it’ form on the RBWM website. He informed that this was an effective method to relay the information to the Borough’s contractors.

Chris Wheeler informed that planned permanent repairs required extensive planning and work as well as lane and road closures, in contrast to short-term immediate ‘plug’ type repairs. He added that the Borough was seeking to move away from ‘plug’ repairs as much as possible towards more planned repairs.

Chris Wheeler then explained the ‘asset management’ approach, which was in line with Department for Transport (DfE) guidelines and Asset Management guidance. Under this approach, two technical assessments were conducted per year on all of the Borough’s roads: SCANNER which analysed undulations and defects in the structure of the road; and SCRIM which looked at skid resistance. These surveys would then be assessed to give a status of each road under a colour schemes: red (maintenance treatment required), amber (start to plan investigation), and green (good condition). With all the principal roads, 3% in the A, B and C classifications were categories in red (i.e., required repairs). Chris Wheeler stated that quality of roads in the Borough was fairly good and that some of roads in the road could be undulated rural roads. He also added that the Borough had improved its roads in the last 5 to 6 years whereby roads were originally 5-7% in needing repairs compared to 3% presently. He stated that an objective was to prevent roads which were in amber from turning red.

Chris Wheeler added that the DfT had allocated a grant of £483,000 to support repairing roads. He hoped to use some of this funding to repair some local residential roads. In addition, there were discussions with contractors to draw up extra resources and the Borough was commencing road resurfacing programme which would start in a week. Meanwhile, the Borough was confirming which roads required treatment with the additional funding.

Chris Wheeler also informed that the Borough was looking into innovative treatments to make maintenance quicker and easier, such as through new machinery and techniques, as well as treatments which were more environmentally friendly.

Councillor Knowles raised a couple of points. He asked whether there were any mitigations with other road works by third parties, such as BT and utility works, which conduct inadequate repairs. He also asked if there was any way to ensure that road markings were reinstated or refreshed after road works. On maintenance works from third party utility companies, Chris Wheeler responded that there had to be a balance with this as broadband, gas and water works were necessary. However, the Borough wielded some powers, namely managing the road network and therefore approving work permits and agreeing the reinstatement quality. This was carried out through a team of streetwork inspectors who would review the duration, traffic management and road reinstatement of utility companies. However, the Borough’s authority was limited whereby it did not possess powers to dictate the third party’s work on their equipment and could not insist that they repair whole sections of road.

Regarding road markings, Chris Wheeler stated that the utility companies should be repainting the road markings, stating that it should be reported if there were cases where they had not been re-painted. He explained that when a contractor was carrying out maintenance work, they owned the site; therefore, they had the liability to repaint the line.

Following up, Councillor Knowles then commented that there were road markings, particularly in the town centre, which had almost disappeared, and this would confuse residents travelling through. Chris Wheeler responded that there was 600km of road in the Borough and that reiterated the grant from DfT to support road maintenance included some funding for road markings, particularly safety road markings.

After thanking for the update, Councillor Wilson asked whether Chris Wheeler asked liaised with other local authorities to research new road repair techniques and technologies. Chris Wheeler replied that under the Borough’s current contracts, the contractors would bring effective as well as new techniques and knowledge they had applied nationally with other local authorities. The Borough meanwhile would determine whether the techniques were appropriate for certain roads.

Councillor W. Da Costa was about to ask a series of questions, namely relating to VolkerHighways and future maintenance strategy. The Chair suggested that some of the questions would be more suitable for overview and scrutiny panels and therefore suggested that Councillor Da Costa asked “higher level” questions which would be of more interest to residents.

Councillor W. Da Costa then asked for a list of roads and pavement repairs coming over the years. He then asked whether Chris Wheeler could inspect the roads in Windsor with a Councillor from each ward. Chris Wheeler replied that he did not know the conditions of every road in the Borough. He stated that all roads had been inspected and were treated equally under the technical assessments which drove the repairs, whether in the safety maintenance or planned asset maintenance. He also informed that some roads which were reported to the Borough were outside the Borough’s remit, whether they were managed by housing associations and private owners. He stated that there should be a response to reports of poor road repairs. He then conveyed that not every road defect would be repaired if it did not meet intervention levels as funding needs to be targeted, particularly if they were aesthetic (e.g., surface cracking) and did not constitute a safety hazard. Therefore, the funding had to be prioritised to the relevant roads.

Chris Wheeler stated that while he was open to meeting Councillors and residents, inspecting the roads in Windsor would be assigned to a trained Highway inspector. Due to the targeted funding approach, funding could not be reallocated to roads which were not flagged as a priority because it would affect the entire funding approach. He reiterated to report road damage and potential safety issues so they could be prioritised.

Councillor W. Da Costa responded that his questions were related to the underlying substratum and the condition of the road and stated that he would follow up with this outside of the meeting. He then asked what plans the Highways Department had to assess and mitigate against extreme weather patterns affecting the roads. Chris Wheeler replied that contractors were looking at new treatments, techniques and solutions to mitigate against weather damage. He stated that the Highways Team were working with its specialist providers to research new solutions. He also added that the Borough could apply restrictions on utility companies digging roads at certain times (except in emergencies).

Councillor W. Da Costa stated that he would like to discuss further with Chris Wheeler on the nature of RBWM’s contracts.

John Bowden, a resident, thanked Paul Roach for his work in arranging weddings, funerals the Platinum Jubilee and the Coronation throughout the years. He then raised that a section of Victoria Street had been resurfaced in April 2023 (near Bachelors Acre and William Street). He stated that it had a sinkhole and a gas main put through it and was left in a poor state. As an important road, he stated this needed urgent treatment as it was unsafe for buses and cyclists. He then asked whether Chris Wheeler was responsible for the resurfacing and restructuring of car parks, in particular in Victoria Street.

Chris Wheeler replied that car parks fell under Neil Walter, Parking Enforcement Manager. Regarding the works on Victoria Street, he informed that the deterioration of its condition was flagged up to the Highways Team, whereby they worked with the contractors to repair the damaged sections. Regarding the remaining sections of the road, he stated that he would take this away and speak with the Highways Team and contractors, and then forward an answer.

ACTION: Chris Wheeler to investigate with the Highways Team and contractors on the repair works on Victoria Street.

The Chair relayed a question from a resident who was unable to attend the Town Forum meeting. The resident asked what was being done about the condition of unclassified roads which made up about 60% of the road network in the Borough. Chris Wheeler stated that some of the additional funding from the DfE grant would be allocated to residential unclassified roads. He reiterated that defects and safety hazards on any category of road should be reported; and that they should be repaired if they met intervention levels. He also stated that the Borough needed to firmly follow its current strategy and policy and not deviate from it, otherwise the principal road network would receive less focus and investment.

Claire Milne, a resident, asked whether plots of land – open space verges, paths and footways – in West Windsor which had adopted highways designation were in danger of being lost to development or did the designation protect them. Chris Wheeler stated that residents could not develop on land with adopted highways status. He explained that there was an unscrupulous practice of selling pieces of land whereby landowners sell land in spite of designated status and therefore the buyer could not develop on the land. He advised that residents should research land with designated status before considering purchase.