Local highways maintenance transparency report

Our highways are our most valuable asset with a replacement cost in the order of £4.6 billion. Our approach is set out in our approved Asset Management Policy and Strategy. These documents set out how we take a rigorous, data-driven approach to understanding the condition and needs of the highways network and how we use that data to inform our decision making. Each year we review our budgets and determine how best to allocate them to achieve our asset management objectives.

For our primary assets such as bridges, footways, street lighting and traffic signals, our budgets have been set to maintain the current conditions and to target specific improvements. Our approach to carriageways (the largest and most visible asset) in recent years has been to try to maintain a steady state condition on our main roads and to allocate a larger proportion of any additional funding to minor roads, as they are already in a poorer condition than our main roads. This strategy has been broadly successful, with classified roads remaining stable and unclassified roads improving by 10% (165km) due to the increased investment under the strategy. This year we are looking to invest a further £7 million in our main roads to improve their condition and to allow for increased investment into preventative maintenance in future years, to keep them in their improved condition.

Each year a proportion of our budget is allocated between resurfacing works and preventative maintenance schemes such as surface dressing which, when used at the right time, can extend the life of a road surface at a fraction of the cost of resurfacing. A proportion of the budget is allocated to our main roads and the remainder to our local roads. Other elements of budget are used for plane and patch works which are targeted at shorter sections of deterioration on a road, and on a failed road programme to target those roads which have regrettably fallen to an unacceptable condition. We work with local members and local area technicians to develop this rolling four-year programme of works to ensure that both strategic and local priorities are addressed. This balanced approach has proven to be the best long-term solution for the county when compared to either resurfacing only or a heavier spend on preventative maintenance.

Our asset management approach is grounded in nationally recognised best practice, drawing on the 14 recommendations of the Highway Maintenance Efficiency Programme’s “Asset Management Guidance” (2013) and the 36 recommendations set out in the UK Roads Liaison Group’s “Well-managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice” (2016). These frameworks promote timely, preventative interventions to ensure the sustainable use of resources and long-term value for money. The service also aligns its practices with the principles of ISO 55001, the international standard for asset management. Buckinghamshire Highways continues to embed ISO 55001 principles in its operations and is actively working towards reaccreditation - demonstrating its commitment to structured, transparent, and forward-looking asset management.

We have been successful over recent years in securing all available funding from the DfT, having been placed in the highest banding of the relevant assessment and receiving an award from the Institute of Asset Management for how we engage with members to develop our capital programme.

We work closely with neighbouring authorities through the Midlands Highways Alliance (MHA+) and are also an active member of the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) and Future Highways Research Group (FHRG). These groups provide the opportunity to share innovations and best practice asset management across several authorities and allow us to stay informed on emerging technologies in the sector.

Buckinghamshire Highways embraces new ideas through its dedicated Innovation Board and close collaboration with its suppliers, term contractor (Balfour Beatty Living Places) and consultant (AtkinsRéalis). This collaborative approach has supported the adoption of best practice, driven innovation, and enabled more efficient, data-led decision-making across the highway network.

Overall, in recent years our innovation efforts have seen the development of artificial intelligence for automating administrative tasks and to collect data on our network; technology resources and database developments; integrated process/material innovation trials.