Roads and Infrastructure Projects - Council Funded
Argyll and Bute Council · 2 June 2022
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 2 June 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2 JUNE 2022 SERVICES ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS – COUNCIL FUNDED 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report provides Members with an update on schemes being taken forward by the Roads and Infrastructure Service which are substantially funded by budget allocations from the Council, as opposed to the other projects report on the agenda which provides detail on projects being taken forward with the benefit of external funding. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee: i. Endorse the overall programme of council funded projects being taken forward by Roads and Infrastructure Services. ii. Note that a programme of street lighting column replacements will be brought to the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee in September 2022.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2 JUNE 2022 SERVICES ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS – COUNCIL FUNDED 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 The report set out below provides Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee with information on the projects and schemes being taken forward by the Roads and Infrastructure Service, funded by the Council. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee: i. Endorse the overall programme of council funded projects being taken forward by Roads and Infrastructure Services. ii. Note that a programme of street lighting column replacements will be brought to the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee in September 2022. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 COUNCIL FUNDED PROJECT SUCCESSES 2021/22 Project name Investment Comments Roads reconstruction programme £10million 2021/22 Improvements to the road network, supporting the local economy, tourism etc. More than 140 separate schemes across Argyll and Bute Footway and active travel routes £500,000 Improvements to footways across the area Modernised parking payment £200,000 Providing chip and pin options as well as cash
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We now have 64 parking terminals which offer multi payment options. Glengorm landfill cell and waste transfer station £1million New cell at the landfill site on Mull and conversion of existing building to transfer station. Securing the future efficiency of general waste collections on Mull up to the landfill ban in 2025, and providing efficient method to take material off the island for onward processing. 4.2 ONGOING PROJECTS Project name Investment Comments Roads reconstruction programme £8million 2022/23 programme Improvements to the road network, supporting the local economy, tourism etc. Specific detail on this year’s programme is a separate item on this committee agenda. Footway and active travel routes £500,000 Programme being developed which will be reported to the September ED&I Committee. Route optimisation £100,000+ Project to use technology to provide efficiencies in vehicle routing and customer information/feedback on bin collections, with a view to expanding later to other works programming like gully cleaning, asset inspections etc. A procurement process is currently underway for this project with tender returns being assessed at the time of writing this report. Public conveniences £100,000 Scheme to install charging infrastructure at high-use PCs to help offset the cost of providing PCs, which are non-statutory. Tender returns expected 20 May – will provide verbal update at meeting. Bute sea wall Circa £1million Sea wall was damaged in storms December 2021. The team had to act immediately to put a temporary solution in place to protect the public road, utilities and nearby houses. This scheme will see a total replacement to modern design standards. Ongoing work seeking permissions and consents for the permanent works which will be tendered.
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Lochgilphead depot rationalisation TBC Following the Oban model to reduce operating costs and open up land for development. This project is currently in the design and costing stage. LED project Circa. £4million Final 1,000 LED replacements (total stock c14,000). This will complete the LED replacement programme which was paused as a result of COVID. Replacing all streetlights with energy efficient LEDs means a huge reduction in costs and carbon footprint. Residual funds within the LED budget will be utilised for column and cable replacement. Streetlighting column replacement £300,000 At the budget meeting on 24 February 2022, the Council allocated £300k to deliver a programme of street lighting column replacement and improvement across Argyll and Bute, prioritised based on condition, with funding for at least 260 lighting columns. A works programme is being developed which will cover the residual funding from the LED project and this £300k column replacement fund which will be reported to the September ED&I Committee. These works will be prioritised based on asset condition and need. Sign replacements £200,000 At the Council meeting on 24 June 2021, the Council allocated £200k to replace street litter bins and key road signage. This was intended to help reduce future budget pressures for replacements of bins and signs and would also help to enhance the streetscape and general appearance of the area by refreshing the street furniture. This funding has focused on replacing signage assets based on condition and road hierarchy, with a focus on directional and speed signage (and where required the posts supporting signs). We have been able to replace signs which were faded and rusted, work which we would not otherwise have been able to do through existing budgets.
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Costs vary according to the size of signs and what other infrastructure is required The available funding has provided for a package of nearly 500 new signs across the Council area. The programme of installations is progressing will in the western areas (OLI and MAKI), and signs are on order for the eastern areas (BC and HL). Note that in line with Council policy and directional or place name signs will be dual language with English and Gaelic. Public bin replacements £100,000 At the budget meeting on 24 February 2022, the Council allocated £100k for a litter bin replacement programme and infrastructure, providing new/better bins across the area where required due to condition/need and with a focus on town centres and prominent locations, to support cleaner communities. The bin programme will focus on bin replacements and where possible combining multiple bins to improve the street scape, with a view to supporting and managing staycation/increased visitor numbers. Where possible the replacement bins will be 240L wheel bins contained in a ‘street cabinet’ similar to those installed in Oban town centre. These are better bins which increase capacity for some of the older bins and ease loading where wheeled bin can be contained within the street cabinets (which look more attractive and are not susceptible to blowing around in a storm unlike empty wheeled bins). Funding spilt evenly across the four administrative areas. At market prices available in February this had been assumed to provide 49 bins per area (196 across Argyll and Bute). Recently we have seen prices increases across a whole range of sectors – the current estimate is that the £100k budget will now provide a total of 156 bins in total. This is a reduction on the
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numbers estimated in February when the budget was allocated. Marine Projects Over £10million funded through agreed Marine Asset Management Plan Various on-going projects which will be reported to the Harbour Board in detailed update on the asset management plan. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The Roads and Infrastructure Service is engaged in a range of council funded schemes which will support and maintain key infrastructure and develop and support service delivery, all of which contributes to the sustainable economic growth and success of the region. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – projects are being taken forward to align with key policies like the Local Outcome Improvement Plan and the Roads Asset Management Plan 6.2 Financial – from existing and allocated budgets 6.3 Legal – the Council has statutory duties to maintain infrastructure set out in various legislation like the Roads Scotland Act 1984 6.4 HR – none known 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: 6.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics – none known 6.5.2 Socio-economic Duty – none known 6.5.3 Islands – none known 6.6 Climate Change – a number of these schemes, particularly the LED project, contribute to the Council’s climate change objectives 6.7 Risk – none known 6.8 Customer Service - none Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services: Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Roads and Transport: Councillor Andrew Kain
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Policy Lead for Climate Change and Environment Services: Councillor Ross Moreland 24 May 2022 For further information contact: Jim Smith, Head of Roads and Infrastructure Services