Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report 2025 - 2026
Section 4 - Plans and programmes 2025 to 2026
4.1 Overall strategy
Gateshead Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP) / Highway Management
The Gateshead HAMP provides the strategic framework for the management of the highway network in Gateshead. It is updated annually and reported to the Council's Cabinet. It provides the latest performance information and details progress with the key targets that have been set. The HAMP has two other key documents which provide the detail required to direct the management of the highway they are the Highway Maintenance Plan and the Highway Asset Management Framework both of which are available on the council's website.
The council has a HAMP working group where senior officers look at quarterly performance with targets and monitor scheme progress and financial management.
Outcomes from investment in the asset are monitored closely to make sure they align with strategies.
The council understands the value of highway asset management as an effective way to manage limited resources and has been developing their highway asset management plans since 2014. On the following principles:
- Data driven based on objective information - using credible and current data such as routine condition surveys, safety inspections, customer reports,
- Objective driven - with resource allocation decisions based on clear policy goals and objectives.
- Performance based - policy objectives translated into performance measures that are used for day-to-day management and for strategic management.
- Monitoring and review - performance results are monitored and reported for their impacts
A full list of policies and targets is in section 6 of the Gateshead Highways Asset Management Plan 2018 to 2030.
HAMP Targets 2024 to 2025
| Action / target | Priority | Progress 2023 to 2024 and target 2024 to 2025 | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Strategic / general | ||||
| 1 | The development of life cycle plans for different asset types in Gateshead. | High | Life cycle plans now available for all assets | Amber |
| 2 | Assessment of the impacts of climate change for future maintenance regimes. Development of carbon measurement (carbon calculator for materials). Development of a decarbonisation strategy for highway infrastructure maintenance | High | Conversion of traffic signal installations to LED now high priority to provide carbon/energy savings and reliability gains. Grant received from DfT. Conversion of all street lighting lanterns to LED complete. Carbon/ energy savings being accrued. Tarmac partnership commenced with carbon reduction baseline for 2023 to 2024. New warm mix and ultra thin products now being used to replace more traditional higher carbon materials. Programme to continue in 2024 to 2025. | Amber |
| 3 | Review inspection and repair policy to reduce repair numbers using new risk-based code of practice. | High | New risk related highway inspection policy now achieving target to reduce repair numbers and improve repair times. New policy continues to provide benefits in safety and cost savings in 2023 to 2024. (Continue to monitor performance 2024 to 2025.) | Green |
Maintenance programmes | ||||
| 4 | To arrest the declining condition of the council's unclassified carriageway network (residential estate roads) to bring it in line with other Northeast authorities. | High | Extra funding continues to be targeted into this area. The decline may have been arrested; improvements may require more resources. | Amber |
| 5 | Deal with the increasing incidences of potholes in carriageways using new methods and techniques where appropriate. | High | External funding provided to assist in 2023 to 2024; however, numbers fluctuate being dependent on weather. | Amber |
| 6 | Replace obsolete traffic signals equipment with new longer lasting and more energy and carbon-efficient equipment. | High | Maintenance programme commenced guided by the Imtrac asset management system. (Ongoing seeking further funding.) | Amber |
| 7 | Develop evidence-based ward programme for improving footway condition based on footpath hierarchy, condition, and defect records. | High | Utilised extra funding and used new footway maintenance survey (FMS). In 2023 to 2024. To continue in 2024 to 2025 | Amber |
| 8 | Assess and where necessary act to remedy geotechnical problems. | High | New area at Lintzford Road A694 to be addressed. | Amber |
| 9 | Tackle problems relating to vehicle restraint systems. | High | Full survey conducted and repair programme commenced. | Green |
| 10 | Develop programme for the continuous replacement of older lighting support columns. | High | 2850 new lighting support columns have already been planted as part of the ongoing column support replacement scheme. | Amber |
| 11 | Structural testing of lighting columns. | High | Structural programme of replacement ongoing. | Amber |
| 12 | Tackle deteriorating condition of signs and road markings. | Medium | Extra funding provided and programme of works continues. | Amber |
| 13 | Improve the management of 30,000 highway drains/culverts using a new risk-based approach to target critical locations. | High | New computerised management system now fully operational (2023 to 2024). Analysis of first 2 year's data to develop a new drainage strategy (2025). | Amber |
| 14 | Carry out bridge and structural inspections programme using bridge management software. | High | Ongoing programme of general and principal inspections of all highway structures. | Amber |
Information / analysis | ||||
| 15 | Improve links to actual cost information for schemes. | High | Some work completed. (Ongoing) | Amber |
| 16 | Link footway inventory data to asset database. | Medium | Completed | Green |
| 17 | Identify future approach towards updating inventory information. | Medium | New asset information strategy completed. | Green |
| 18 | Develop new skidding resistance policy and work programme expanded to B and C roads. | High | Network analysis completed. Second year of B and C road surveys completed and remedial work underway. Policy requires an update. | Amber |
| 19 | Update Imtrac traffic signals asset management system to manage performance and future maintenance programmes. Fault reporting system to be centralised. | High | Inventory now updated. Allowing accurate billing, life cycle planning and fault reporting. (Complete) | Green |
4.11 Best practise delivering innovation and efficiency
Gateshead Council asset officers meet regularly with their colleagues in the North East Combined Authority area to share best practise and benchmark service provision and share ideas on innovation. Repair times and standards have been successfully improved after benchmarking and new customer focused reporting systems introduced.
During 2023 to 2024 a more targeted approach was taken to footpath repairs in Gateshead. Higher risk areas with greater footfall such as in local centres, outside hospitals, schools and residential homes were given a greater priority after initially looking at the condition surveys, local feed-back and our reactive repair records.
The programme also received extra internal funding and so far over 5000m2 of footpath at a cost of £300,000 has been repaired with this programme which commenced in 2023 to 2024 and has continued into 2024 to 2025.
The council has been gradually converting its traffic signals from tungsten halogen to LED which has brought with it great efficiencies in not only carbon savings and electricity costs but also reduced the numbers of repair visits. The council has also trialled various low carbon materials for resurfacing roads from warm lay materials as opposed to hot rolled asphalt that exhibits much higher carbon production.
Other new products such as Ultithin which is a thin surfacing material suitable for lightly used estate roads are now being extensively used. Like other thin surfacing products this is a layer added to an existing surface to extend its life without the planing out and subsequent transport costs in finance and carbon. This product appears to have the advantage in terms of life expectancy over some other products we have tested in Gateshead.
We have trialled various products to deal with potholes including jet patching and have now decided to use the pothole pro from JCB this summer.
Our overall annual carbon output from materials used in highway maintenance is monitored annually. Our future aim is to continually look at new products and ways of reducing our carbon footprint in the processes involved in highway maintenance.