Engineers on target to complete street light repairs in Wirral

14/03/2016 | HIGHWAYS REPORTERS

Engineers are working through a backlog of street light repairs in Wirral.

It is now a month since Wirral Council put in place a special street light repair plan to tackle the volume of defective light reports that were recorded on the council’s systems, which at the time numbered around 1,800.

With the additional efforts put in over the last month, more than half these faults have now been repaired by the council’s contractor, BAM Nuttall.

Up to the end of February, engineers had dealt with 1,016 of the outstanding reports, meaning they are well on target to help the council keep its promise of having all outstanding reports addressed by the end of April.

Cllr Stuart Whittingham, cabinet member for transport and technology infrastructure, said: “I’m delighted with the progress that has been made so far on clearing the backlog. It’s been a tough time. We’d seen a higher than usual number of outstanding faults reported in, not helped by an increase in levels of vandalism and vehicle collisions.

“Our own officers were working hard to keep on top of the reports as they came in and prioritise them for repair based on their location and potential public safety implications, but it was clear that more needed to be done to reduce the number of defective lights, particularly those that had been outstanding for a long time.

“With the plan we put in place a month ago we were confident of getting on top of the outstanding reports as well as managing any new ones and it seems we are well on the way to wiping the slate clean by end of April. I’d like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding.”

Continuing alongside the regular repair schedule has been the programme to replace the old-fashioned street lighting units with brand new LED lights Wirral’s main roads. The last few remaining LED lights are now scheduled for installation and this phase of the programme will come to a close at the end of March.

Cllr Whittingham added: “We’ve known for a long time that we have an old, largely inefficient street lighting network and we are constantly trying to make improvements.

“Our investment in the LED programme is testament to that. These units will save us money in the long-run and also contribute to our environmental targets. They can be managed centrally and any defects on these units are automatically logged on the central system.

“We are now looking at ways in which we might be able to extend the network of LED lights in Wirral even further.”

 

Pictured: Cllr Stuart Whittingham drops by as a defective lighting unit in Royden Road, Upton, is repaired by contractors BAM Nuttall

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Ferry Host - WMF3049i

£25,584 - £25,992
Ferry Host - WMF3049i Windermere, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Director of Streetscene

£92,027 - £105,394 (Director Grade) Pay award pending
We continue to have big ambitions for our borough Fareham, Hampshire
Recruiter: Fareham Borough Council

Principal Engineer - Urban Traffic Control (UTC)

£44,711 - £49,764
Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic and engaged communities. Liverpool, Merseyside
Recruiter: Liverpool City Council

Senior Highways Network Technician - WMF2149e

£33,366 to £34,314
We are looking to recruit a friendly and motivated candidate to join our Highways Service Penrith, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Roadworker/Driver

Grade 6 £25,183 - £25,638 per annum (Pay Award Pending)
We’re looking for Roadworker/trainee LGV drivers to be part of our team Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Project Chargehand (2 Posts)

Grade 9 £31,344 - £33,253 per annum (Pay Award Pending)
We’re looking for experienced Project Chargehands to be part of the Highways Construction Services team Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Lawyer 2- Planning and Highways

£49,764 - £54,181
We are looking for a fresh thinking and enthusiastic Planning and Highways Lawyer Hereford, Herefordshire
Recruiter: Herefordshire Council

Development Engineer

£35,967 - £41,268 per annum
Are you ready to play a key role in shaping and safeguarding the future of our highways and public spaces? Bexley (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: London Borough of Bexley

Professional Services Partnering Manager

Grade 13 £47,653 - £51,296 per annum (pay award pending)
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Professional Services Partnering Manager to lead the strategic management Darley Dale, Matlock
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Technical Supervision Manager

Grade 13 £47,653 - £51,296 per annum (pay award pending)
We are looking for an experienced and driven Technical Supervision Manager to lead our technical supervision teams within the Highways Service. Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Street Lighting Electrician (CDC)

Grade 8, £32,662 - £36,239 (pay award pending)
Highways Operations is a growing service area within the Place directorate. Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recruiter: City Of Doncaster Council

Highways Assistant Engineer WMF2133e

£39,513 to £40,476
We have an exciting opportunity for the right person to work within the challenging and ever-changing landscape. Penrith, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Highways Inspector/NRSWA

£36,345 - £40,344
We are looking for an organised and self-motivated individual to join our Streetworks Team based in Hackney Central. Hackney, London (Greater)
Recruiter: London Borough of Hackney Council

Structures Commissioner

Grade 14 £53,166 - £59,080 per annum (Pay Award Pending)
We are seeking an experienced and strategic leader to join our team as the Structures Commissioner. Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Team Leader Network Co-ordination

£51,429 - £58,140
As Team Leader for Network Coordination, you’ll manage a team that oversees all works and events on our public highways. Kensington and Chelsea, London (Greater)
Recruiter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council

PRINCIPAL TRANSPORT PLANNING OFFICER

£43693 - £46731
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team in Hull as a Principal Transport Planning Officer. Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Recruiter: Hull City Council

HIGHWAYS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEER - 4 POSTS

£43693 - £46731
We have several exciting opportunities for suitably qualified Highways Civil Engineers and Traffic Engineers Wilson Centre, 1st floor, Hull HU1 2AG
Recruiter: Hull City Council

Principal Transport Planner

£45,718 to £49,764
Do you have considerable experience in the transport strategy and policy, and are you looking for your next career development opportunity? Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Recruiter: Sheffield City Council

Project Lead - Bridges and Structures WMF3037e

£45,718 to £46,731
We are currently seeking to recruit a Project Lead to join our Bridges and Structures team Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Highway Network Technician - WMF2090e

£27,711 - £28,624
We are looking to recruit a friendly and motivated candidate to join our Highways Maintenance Team as Highways Network Technician. Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW