Local highways maintenance transparency report

Buckinghamshire Highways is committed to reducing carbon emissions and enhancing sustainability in its maintenance operations. This commitment aligns with the broader goals set out in Buckinghamshire Council's Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy.

Several key initiatives and strategies are currently being implemented by Buckinghamshire Highways and our alliance partners through our Innovation Board, to decarbonise our highway maintenance operations, including the following:

• low carbon materials such as warm mix asphalt, grouted macadam, and recycled rubber asphalt are now used to reduce energy consumption, lower emissions, and extend road life. A potential plannings recycling centre is also under review
• sustainable repair techniques include thermal repairs, micro-asphalt surfacing, surface dressing, and cold in-situ recycling. These methods minimise waste, reduce the need for new materials, and lower the carbon footprint of road maintenance
• the transition to an electric vehicle fleet and battery-powered tools further cuts emissions, supported by the installation of EV charging points at depots
• in the last year over 3,100 streetlights have been upgraded to LEDs, reducing energy use and maintenance needs. Almost all of our streetlights and traffic signals are now LED
• additionally, working in partnership with Buckinghamshire Highways, our term maintenance contractor Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP), dedicates 50% of its spending on maintenance operations to local businesses, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transporting materials and services from distant locations

These initiatives reflect Buckinghamshire Highways’ commitment to innovation and sustainability, with ongoing efforts to trial and adopt new low-carbon technologies for a greener future. We are an active member in the MHA+ Carbon Steering Group (CSG), which provides a collaborative platform for local authorities to discuss their work and share ideas to contribute to the carbon reduction agenda across the Highways sector. Moreover, a carbon strategy is in development to inform carbon management planning and a roadmap to achieve NetZero for all activities under the Buckinghamshire Highways alliance.

With continued funding and support from the Department for Transport, we aim to expand the variety of low carbon technologies used and trial new and innovative low carbon solutions, further enhancing the sustainability of our operations and contributing to a greener future.

Buckinghamshire Highways is actively working to understand and manage the risks that climate change poses to its road network. With more frequent extreme weather events such as flooding, heatwaves, and storms, we are taking a coordinated, data-driven, and community-focused approach to ensure our highways remain safe, reliable, and resilient.

Resilience is embedded across the council through a “One Council” approach. This means all departments work together, supported by our Resilience Service, to prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents. Buckinghamshire Highways also works closely with external partners, including the Environment Agency, Met Office, and utility companies, through the Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum (TVLRF). Participating in the TVLRF ensures that our response to emergencies and severe weather events are coordinated with the necessary parties and provides a structured way to share information and lessons learnt - all of which improve the county’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to incidents.

The council recognises that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of weather-related hazards and has therefore carried out climate change risk assessments with regards to the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2022.

To address the challenges outlined in this assessment, Buckinghamshire has developed a suite of strategic plans and frameworks which we will act in accordance with, including:

• flood risk strategies, plans and assessments, which outline the responsibilities of Buckinghamshire Highways in maintaining the drainage system, developing capital schemes to alleviate flooding, road closure and flood emergency planning and maintaining supplies of appropriate flood mitigation equipment.
• the 2025 Summer Readiness and Response Framework, which ensures a coordinated approach to summer hazards such as heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires.
• the Council Emergency Response Arrangements (CERA) and Incident Management Process (IMP), which provides the structure for an effective and coordinated tactical/operational response to a disruptive incident or emergency either externally or internally to the council.

These documents are regularly reviewed and updated following any significant severe weather events.

To better understand where the network is most vulnerable, Buckinghamshire Highways analyses data from historic severe weather events, callouts, reports, and complaints. For example, using data-driven solutions, we have identified and mapped prominent flood hotspots across our network based upon historic flood callouts and utilise this information to develop drainage improvement plans and a prioritised register of drainage maintenance and improvements, such as clearing gullies and ditches or upgrading drainage systems.

Buckinghamshire Highways maintains a clearly defined “resilient network” - a selection of key roads that are critical for keeping the county functioning during severe weather events. These roads are prioritised for activities such as gritting and snow clearance to ensure they remain open and safe for use, especially during snow, ice, and freezing conditions.

This network includes routes that are essential for emergency services, public transport, access to hospitals, schools, and key employment areas. By focusing resilience efforts on these roads, we ensure that vital connections are maintained even when the wider network may be affected by adverse weather.

In partnership with Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) we have introduced a state-of-the-art Operational Control Hub (OCH) to support a data-driven approach to decision-making and resilience planning. The OCH uses the latest in innovative technologies and systems to provide a single source of visibility to monitor all activities in real-time, track progress of works and enable data-driven decision making to drive further efficiencies across the network. Since its launch, we have seen an increase in productivity in our reactive works by 120%.

Buckinghamshire Highways has also significantly increased its capital investment in drainage infrastructure to strengthen the network’s resilience against flooding. One of the key actions underpinning this commitment is the annual cleaning of all 85,000 plus roadside gullies across our network.

Gullies are essential for draining rainwater from roads and preventing surface water from accumulating, which can lead to dangerous driving conditions, road closures, and long-term damage to the road surface. By ensuring that every gully is cleaned at least once a year, we are reducing the risk of blockages that can cause localised flooding during heavy rainfall.

Buckinghamshire Highways understands the importance of keeping residents and road users informed during severe weather events and periods of disruption. Clear, timely updates help people stay safe and plan ahead. We share all necessary information on our responses to disruptions, road conditions, closures, and safety advice through our website and social media channels. Residents are also encouraged to report issues such as flooding, fallen trees, or road damage using tools such as FixMyStreet or engaging through the council's various communication channels, helping the council to respond quickly and effectively.

By combining data, planning, and community engagement, we are working to ensure that Buckinghamshire’s roads remain safe, reliable, and resilient in the face of a changing climate.