Council leader Raymond Bremner talks of 'best value and most efficient outcome' for roads' service
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At Monday’s meeting of the Highland Council’s redesign board (November 28), members received an update on the progress of the roads improvement project.
The project’s purpose is to redesign the service and identify opportunities to improve the effective, efficient and sustainable delivery of all engineering and roads operations, while aspiring to improve road condition across the Highlands.
Council leader Raymond Bremner said: “It was good to get this update and although the project is in its early stages, progress is being made now the project team are in place."
The update confirmed that the project team is now in place. The team consists of a project manager, a principal engineer, a senior engineer, senior technician, technician and two operational support officers. Their priority over the next three to six months is to deliver a programme of work to review policies and guidance currently in place.
Work has already started on reviewing the council’s verge maintenance guidance. The team are also gathering information and comparisons with other roads authorities.
The following priorities have been identified and are currently undergoing a special review to suggest improvements:
- Permit applications
- Temporary and permanent traffic regulation orders
- Compensation claims
After a successful redesign workshop held in October, council leader Raymond Bremner and councillors Russell Jones and Trish Robertson have been appointed to the roads redesign working group.
Councillor Raymond Bremner (Wick and East Caithness ward) added: "An important aspect of the project will be improving communication, both with staff and customers so we look forward to more updates as work progresses.
"We need to ensure our roads’ service is as efficient as possible. I would hope that the outcome of this project will ensure that any money that we spend on roads infrastructure delivers that we can get.”
