Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment provided details on the progress made on the County wide Speed Limit Review for the classified (A and B) road network.

At Cabinet in July 2013 a proposal to complete a programme of speed limit reviews was approved to be done within a two year period.  However, progress on the project had been slower than expected due a number of reasons which were outlined in the report.

Of the 37 sites identified as requiring a change to the existing speed limit order, five had been completed, seven were committed and would be completed within the next three months and 25 had yet to be ordered and advertised.  It was now necessary to develop a new programme and method of delivery in order to complete the work at the earliest possible opportunity.

            To expedite the work, it was proposed that the Council engage an Agency Engineer who was capable of designing the new speed limits, creating the legal orders and arranging the necessary consultation process.  It was expected that the Engineer would be capable of progressing the outstanding schemes to completion within six months with a revised completion date of 30 November 2015.

            The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) said the estimate costs of completing the remaining routes was £180k and the cost of engaging the Agency Engineer was approximately £30k.  The Welsh Government Prudential Borrowing Initiative (PBI) scheme was no longer available and all of the available funding had been utilised for other highway improvement schemes across Flintshire.  The costs for completing the speed limit review would therefore be met from the Streetscene and Transportation budget and an in-year budget pressure would be created as a result.

            Progress against the new timetable would be monitored monthly by the Cabinet Member for Environment.

            The Cabinet Member for Education asked why the status of some of the schemes listed on the appendix to the report said ‘To be re-advertised’.  The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation said he would find out the details and provide a response to Cabinet Members.  On a further question about objections received, the Chief Officer explained that each review was open to objections as part of the process to be followed.  Most objections were dealt with by negotiation with the objector and minor amendments being made to the proposals.

RESOLVED:

That the revised completion date for the project and the engagement of the Agency Engineer to carry out the work required to deliver the speed limit review within the revised timescale be approved.