Roads and Infrastructure Projects - Externally Funded
Argyll and Bute Council · 2 June 2022
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 2 June 2022 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2 JUNE 2022 SERVICES ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS – EXTERNALLY FUNDED 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report is the first in an intended series of updates from the Roads and Infrastructure Service to Members on a wide-ranging programme of ambitious major externally funded projects which are aimed at improving key public infrastructure and/or improving service delivery of the day-to-day services which residents of and visitors to Argyll and Bute rely on every day. Other schemes are in the development stage and funding is yet to be secured/agreed, and it is anticipated that there will be external funding options for these schemes. 1.2 Having fit for purpose infrastructure is vital to the continued economic growth and success of Argyll and Bute, and contributes to the key aims set out in the Local Outcome Improvement Plan. 1.3 As well as a new series of reports, it is our intention to hold a number of specific member briefing sessions on both day-to-day activities as well as major projects both internal and externally funded, as part of a wider package of member engagement which will also see key information provided online via the new Member Zone platform. Members are asked to highlight to us any particular projects or areas of work that they feel they might benefit from a specific briefing session on. In an improvement from previous years, we intend to not only use agreed committee dates for these sessions, but acknowledging that this provides relatively few opportunities, we intend to look to hold briefing sessions and development days over and above the normal committee cycle. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee endorse: i. The overall programme of major externally funded projects being taken forward by Roads and Infrastructure Services; ii. The programme of bridge works set out at Appendix 1; and iii. The programme of playpark works set out at Appendix 2.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2 JUNE 2022 SERVICES ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS – EXTERNALLY FUNDED 2.0 INTRODUCTION This report sets out a series of updates from the Road and Infrastructure Service to Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee on the wide ranging programme of works which are externally funded, and aim to improve the key infrastructure and service delivery in Argyll and Bute. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee endorse: i. The overall programme of major externally funded projects being taken forward by Roads and Infrastructure Services; ii. The programme of bridge works set out at Appendix 1; and iii. The programme of playpark works set out at Appendix 2. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 The Roads and Infrastructure Service is responsible for a vast range of assets and services, a snapshot of which are listed below. Grant funding and various investment initiatives enable to council to progress a number of exciting projects for key infrastructure, a number of which are detailed below: Day-to-day maintenance of a 2300km public road network Servicing 47,000 households for kerbside bin collections, lifting over three million bins a year in the process Grass cutting services for public grassland, parks and sports pitches, over 35million square metres of grass cutting per year Maintain over 500km of public footway Managing nearly 15,000 streetlights Manage (and working to expand) a network of 28 public EV chargers Provide four lifeline ferry services Manage around 60 public toilets
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Maintain over 70km of vehicle safety fencing Directly managing six civic amenity sites, and contract managing another five Transporting 3,000 school pupils to 78 different schools within the Council area, and another six outwith the area for religious or specialist education reasons Street sweeping over 10,500 kilometres of public footway per year Manage 900 bridges, spanning 5km which is the equivalent of 10 Queensferry Crossings Manage 77 separate local bus and home-to-school transport contracts, at a cost of approximately £6.5million a year. Provide nearly 600 grit bins for communities to self-help during the winter months Manage and improve 39 piers and harbours Manage and maintain the Council’s fleet, from pool cars to bin lorries and everything in-between – a fleet of 500 vehicles operated across five main workshops When freezing weather conditions are forecast, pre-treat 750 miles of public road, which is the equivalent of driving from Lochgilphead to Paris Maintain 131 cemeteries and one crematorium, and in doing so manage around 1200 burials and cremations each year 4.2 There are number of major schemes recently completed, ongoing and planned, to support all of the above, ensuring that we have infrastructure that supports sustainable growth. 4.3 EXTERNALLY FUNDED PROJECT SUCCESSES 2021/22 Project name Investment Funding Comments Oban depot rationalisation £2.6m Funded via insurance and capital receipts. Reducing from three depot sites to one, expanding an existing site. Reduces operating costs, creates service efficiencies and opens up land for economic use/ sustainable growth. Lochgilphead public realm project £500,000 The project was fully funded by The Scottish Government’s Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes Fund (CWSR), New, wider footways; improved pedestrian crossings; new cycle parking; new street furniture and special tactile surfaces for those with mobility issues. The team also ensured a simple but effective
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HITRANS and Transport Scotland’s Spaces for People fund, managed by SUSTRANS communications exercise which saw local businesses and other interested parties provided with regular weekly updates via email, as well as populating online resources via the Council’s website. This is a tried and tested method first used during the Helensburgh CHORD works and ensures we stay on the front foot, keeping businesses informed about how schemes are progressing and reducing the number of complaints or the amount of correspondence. EV chargers £300,000 All schemes funded by external monies secured in competitive bid processes Public and Council charger installs across the area Lismore ferry replacement Circa £618,000 Externally funded via Transport Scotland New, modern vessel Part of a wider strategy of ferry modernisation Low emission vehicles £170,000 Funding mix of ABC and external funding provided by the Scottish Government Working towards de- carbonising our fleet, since 2020 we have increased our number of hybrid/low emission vehicles from four to 70, reducing our carbon impact and contributing to the Council’s overall drive towards creating a net-zero region. Tobermory Railings £325,000 Externally funded Phase One of improvements to the sea wall, coastal protection and provision of new parapet railings. These works were co-designed between the council and community.
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4.4 ONGOING PROJECTS Project name Investment Description Comments Bridge improvements £5.450m Funding secured in highly competitive bid process from Scottish Government’s £32million Local Bridge Maintenance Fund The fund will be used to undertake proportionate works on bridges in need of repair, identified through our inspection programme/ records. Bridges provided critical transport (often lifeline) connections for some communities and are a vital part of the wider road network Appendix 1 details the list of bridges which have received funding. Campbeltown flood scheme £15.215m 80% Scottish Government funded plus 20% funded from ABC. Scheme will provide flood protection to Campbeltown, supporting local businesses and protecting the investments in the town in recent years. Tender due to be awarded at the time of writing this report. Rothesay outer harbour berthing facility Circa £900,000 Mix of external funding sources – Crown Estate and Town Centre and Island Infrastructure funds. This scheme will see an upgraded pontoon facility built, as part of the wider strategy to unlock the economic potential of the marine tourism sector, following on from the successful projects in Campbeltown and Oban. Helensburgh depot rationalisation Phase 2. TBC TBC Work is currently underway to explore options around creating a waste transfer station on land owned by the council at and around its current single all service depot at Blackhill. This would ultimately allow for a more efficient bin collection service in that material could be tipped and sorted here for onward bulk transport and
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processing, rather than the current arrangements which see bin lorries travelling outwith Argyll and Bute to unload. Tobermory car park Circa £800,000 Funded via a mix of Coastal Communities and Rural Tourism Infrastructure funds This scheme will see the proposed cemetery extension and new car park projects combined to realise an economy of scale. This will provide a useful new car park to support increased visitor number as well as securing future burial options in Tobermory as the current cemetery is reaching capacity. Currently work is underway to finalise the land assembly for this project prior to tender award Playpark improvements £155,000 Utilising funds from new Scottish Government fund which will be a rolling programme over this and future years. Works programmed as outlined at Appendix 2 In line with the requirements of the fund the list of schemes has been determined in part through consultation with the Youth Forums Oban bus improvements £280,000 Funding secured from the Scottish Government Bus Partnership Fund Explore the feasibility of bus lane and smart traffic signals in and around Oban. This is a joint venture between the Council and HiTrans. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The Roads and Infrastructure Service is engaged in a range of major externally 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.
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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 – funded from grant funding and supplemented with some council budget 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 EV chargers and low emission vehicles. 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 Policy Lead for Climate Change and Environment Services: Councillor Ross Moreland May 2022 For further information contact: Jim Smith, Head of Roads and Infrastructure Services Appendices: Appendix 1 – Bridge programme Appendix 2 – Playpark funding priority list