ORR changes tune on whole-life asset management

17/10/2023 | CHRIS AMES

National Highways’ performance against its key performance indicator (KPI) for pavement condition varies across its regions, despite meeting the target, its monitor has said.

A new report from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) states that while the government-owned company met the target of 96.2% of road surfaces not requiring further investigation for maintenance, performance in National Highways’ East region is consistently lower than in the rest of England, while the South West region consistently performs the best.

Duncan Smith, National Highways executive director for operations, said: ‘We regularly inspect our roads to help reduce the potential for potholes to form and we are meeting national targets designed to ensure our road surfaces are kept in a good condition.

‘Our latest assessment shows that over 96% of our roads are in good condition and we continue to improve the surface of our roads including in the East of England.’

The Benchmarking Road Surface Condition Report states that National Highways only narrowly met the target after adjusting its renewal programme and that the ORR ‘worked closely with National Highways to understand the company’s plan to deliver additional work to improve performance’.

Despite this, the ORR told Highways that it did not know whether this plan meant for example diverting resources from preventative maintenance as its role is to hold National Highways to account against its KPIs and it therefore did not have details of changes to its renewals programme.

In fact, the ORR’s 2022-23 Annual Assessment of National Highways states that ‘pavement renewals are a good example of the need for National Highways’ renewals reporting to demonstrate best practice whole-life asset management’.

According to the ORR, the East region trails the national-level target by nearly 3 per cent and has had the lowest proportion of good condition road surfaces for the last three years.

The East region’s strategic road network has a higher proportion of A-roads, which are harder to maintain, and has more concrete roads, which do not perform as well as asphalt. However, new data shows that while these effects are significant, the East region underperforms even when these factors are accounted for.

Feras Alshaker, director of planning and performance at the ORR, said: ‘National Highways has met its road surface condition performance target for the sixth year running.

‘Our report is an important tool that we expect National Highways to use to understand the variations in the company’s regions and share intelligence with road operators elsewhere to help ensure performance is maintained at a consistently high level.’

The M5 near Exeter Services

The ORR report also compares the condition of strategic road networks in Great Britain and the Netherlands, which takes a similar approach to measuring road condition.

It says it found similarities in the condition of strategic roads in England, Wales and Scotland, with road surfaces in the Netherlands are in overall better condition.

It adds that the majority of road surfaces in the Netherlands are constructed of materials not typically used in Great Britain but that differences in performance were also evident when comparing roads constructed of similar materials.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Carbon and Net Zero Manager

£47,754 - £50,788
To lead and manage the carbon strategy for the Agent by developing a programme South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Highways Engagement Officer - WMF1977e

£33,366 - £34,314
The role will provide specialist support within the Highways service Kendal, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Trunk Road Services – Senior Supervisor

Grade 9
South Wales Trunk Road Agent
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Horticultural Operative

£25390.0000 - £26203.0000 per annum
Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Braintree Council to recruit a Horticultural Operative.To apply please click here
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Highway Asset Maintenance Assistant Engineer (CDC)

Grade 8, £32,662 - £36,239 (Pay award pending)
The City of Doncaster Council is a confident, ambitious organisation Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recruiter: City Of Doncaster Council

Engineer, Highways Asset Maintenance CDC

Grade 9, £38,653 - £42,728 (Pay award pending)
The City of Doncaster Council is a confident, ambitious organisation which puts improving the life of its residents at the centre of everything we do. Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recruiter: City Of Doncaster Council

Street Cleansing Team Leader

£31,067.00 - £33,366.00, Grade 7, 37 hours, Permanent
An opportunity exists in the Council’s Street Scene Services for a Street Cleansing Team Leader Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield Council

Street Cleansing Driver / Operative (Pavement Sweeper)

£25,584.00 - £27,269.00, Grade 5, 37 hours, Permanent
The post holder will be part of a Street Scene Team to deliver a high quality citizen focused Street Scene service Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield Council

Traffic Engineering Officer

£36,124 to £37,938 per annum
An exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and passionate Traffic Engineering Officer Rutland
Recruiter: Rutland County Council

Highways Engineer

£36,124 to £37,938 per annum
An exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and passionate Highways Engineer Rutland
Recruiter: Rutland County Council

Civil Enforcement Officers

£25,183- £26,409 plus weekend allowance
We’re looking for Civil Enforcement officers to join our parking services team. North Yorkshire
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Asset Development Manager

£44,111 per annum (pay award pending)
Do you want to work for an organisation that values you as an individual? West Yorkshire
Recruiter: West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Career Grade Transport Planner (Carer Grade 6-8)

Grade 06 (£29,093 - £32,654) TO Grade 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a forward thinking and dynamic transport authority located in the heart of the North West Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Principal Transport Planner

GRADE 10 (£47,754 - £50,787)
This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a forward thinking and dynamic transport authority located in the heart of the North West. Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Senior Technician - Highways Inspections

Grade 10 £34,324 - £37,529 per annum
This is an exciting time to join one of the country’s leading public sector in-house Highways Services Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Senior Technician - Asset Management

Grade 10 £34,324 - £37,529 per annum
The position provides an exciting opportunity to develop how all highway assets are managed in the future Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Road and Street Works Co-ordinator Engineer

Grade 11 £39,513 to £43,693 per annum
This is an exciting opportunity to join our Highway Network Management Section as a Road & Street Works Co-ordinator Engineer.   The efficient co-ordi Durham
Recruiter: Durham County Council

Group Manager for Highway Contracts and Service Development

£59,537 progressing to £66,642
This role’s purpose is to manage the suite of highway contracts and continue to develop and improve the Highways Service in all senses Hertfordshire
Recruiter: Hertfordshire County Council

Senior Development Management Engineer

£37,938 - £44,711
This is an excellent opportunity to join a team of Highway Development Officers delivering high-quality development across Coventry. coventry
Recruiter: Coventry City Council

Assistant Street Cleansing Operative

£24,790 - £25,183, Grade 4, 37 hours, Permanent
An opportunity exists in the Council’s Street Scene Services for an Assistant Street Cleansing Operative Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield 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