Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of members' interests.

The purpose of the report by the Director of Transport, Environment and Business Support is to seek the formal adoption of both the Highways Asset Management Policy and the Highways Asset Management Strategy (attached as appendices to the report).

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member adopts both the Highways Asset Management Policy and the Highways Asset Management Strategy.

(TAKE IN REPORT)

Pam Turton, the Assistant Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support presented the report.

The Cabinet Member asked the opposition spokespeople if they had any questions on the report. 

Councillor Stagg referred to paragraph 6.3 (b) in the report regarding the use of roads by heavy commercial vehicles and gave two examples where she had witnessed on several occasions delivery lorries parking inappropriately and holding up traffic on busy roads.  She asked whether it was possible to restrict deliveries to before or after a set time of day. Councillor Fleming and Alan Cufley undertook to investigate the circumstances that Cllr Stagg had raised.

Councillor Stagg also referred to the statement in the strategy of the 'importance of a high quality transport network' and felt that that this would be a challenge with all the new and proposed housing developments in the city causing increased traffic.  She asked whether transport could make comments to the planning committee when new developments came forward.  Alan Cufley advised that the Highways authority are a statutory consultee for all appropriate planning applications and make necessary comments to ensure that the Planning Committee are guided as to the effect of the development on the network.

Councillor Stagg queried why the M275 was not listed in Figure 5 of the Strategy.  Officers clarified that as Portsmouth City Council has responsibility for the southern part of the M275, it is classified as carriageway in the document, and does come under the PFI contract.

Councillor Fleming thanked officers for all their work in preparing the policy and strategy and said it was important that the council have these documents in place and it was helpful to see whether the PFI contract fits into the overall strategy.

DECISION: that the Cabinet Member adopts both the Highways Asset Management Policy and the Highways Asset Management Strategy.