Developing a Road Maintenance programme

Introduction

The Transport Agency expects Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways) to use a structured and planned approach to road network management. Forward work programmes and budgets for road operations, maintenance and renewals must be derived from:

• network inventory and condition information
• a regular field inspection programme
• a robust treatment selection process, and
• funding affordability considerations.

Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways) should be able to demonstrate how the proposed road operations, maintenance, renewal and improvement activities optimise the life-cycle costs of their road networks.

This section sets out the guidance on inputs to programmes which will assist in the development of a programme and aid assessment.

Details held by the responsible organisation

Details of road operations, maintenance, renewal and improvement activities must be held by the organisation responsible for the project. This includes, as appropriate:

• the location and description of the works
• the relationship to any relevant study, strategy, activity management plan or scheme assessment report (SAR A detailed report that includes a precise problem definition, a description of options available to address the problem, a project evaluation, an assessment of environmental impacts, and a recommendation. )
• candidate prioritisation and treatment identification information
• historic maintenance information for past ten years
• general assessment considerations
• consideration of the strategic fit
• consideration of the effectiveness, and
• an benefit and cost appraisal.

Such evidence for individual sites must be provided on request to demonstrate the value-for-money reasons for selecting the activities.

Activity Management Plans Plans describe the tactics to give effect to a strategy. They are specific in content, action oriented and outputs focussed, resulting in a tangible set of activities to be delivered within a clear timeframe.

Consideration should be given to the relationship between the recommendations in the Approved Organisation’s and the Transport Agency’s (state highways) Activity Management Plan, the requested funding and the defined quantities for each work category A type of activity – not confined to a particular activity class, e.g. new roads (work category 323) appears in:

* activity class 12 – local road improvements
* activity class 13 – state highways improvements in the road operations, maintenance and renewal programme.

In particular, consider the robustness of:

• asset information systems (including condition information)
• underlying assumptions
• decision-making processes
• optimisation analysis
• risk assessment, and
• asset management strategies.

Network management

Consideration should be given to changes from national and regional levels of service targets relating to road user satisfaction, safety and asset preservation as set out in the Transport Agency’s Maintenance guidelines for local roads or as otherwise agreed with the Transport Agency. 

In particular, consider:

• trends in performance monitoring measures undertaken for the road network, and
• how the trends are proposed to be addressed in the road operations, maintenance and renewal programme.

Quality assurance

Consideration should be given to:

• quality assurance processes, including the field verification of maintenance treatment decisions and technical audit recommendations, and
• close monitoring on reinstatement of services relocation activities.

Innovation

Consider innovation in sustainable practices when selecting materials, maintenance methods, and all other inputs to the submitted programme.

Negotiation process

In addition to the long-term planning undertaken for the development of programmes, the Transport Agency recognises that there may be additional issues that can lead to changes in road operations, maintenance and renewal requirements.

The Transport Agency will discuss these issues as part of the regular liaison with Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency(state highways) to review and optimise programmes and also during the assessment process.

Differences in levels of service

The annual funding level for an organisation’s maintenance programme The total of the organisation's approved maintenance, operations and renewal activities. is determined by the Transport Agency (planning & investment), taking into account regional negotiations.

Where an Approved Organisation and the Transport Agency (state highways)  wishes to maintain a maintenance activity to a higher standard than that agreed to in the negotiation process, the portion of expenditure receiving financial assistance will be based on the expenditure required to achieve the agreed standards and intervention levels.

Where an Approved Organisation and the Transport Agency (state highways)  wishes to maintain a maintenance activity to lesser standards and intervention levels than the Transport Agency’s guidelines, financial assistance will be based on the least expenditure.  If the lesser standards and intervention levels cause deferred maintenance, the Transport Agency reserves the right to not financially assist any future cost greater than the equivalent optimal life-cycle cost.