Road repairs backlog exceeds £40 million in Powys

A report which will go before the highways committee at Powys County Council next week has proposed an action plan, due to a severe backlog of work needed on the region's roads.

The report from Adrian Jervis, acting head of highways, transport and recycling, has said that urgent work will be given priority, with other projects likely to be put on hold.

Mr Jervis said in the report: "The backlog of work across the highway network exceeds £40 million.

"The range of options for allocating expenditure across work categories is therefore considerable.

"Schemes put forward for consideration within each category are prioritised in accordance with established scheme ranking systems where applicable or using the established principles of the systems to help ensure allocations are on a needs basis.

"Candidate schemes are identified from routine inspections, stakeholder raised issues as well as those put forward for consideration by county councillors through liaison between members and highways grounds and street scene managers."

The meeting on Thursday will decide how to prioritise the road budget, with potholes, road surfacing and other issues unlikely to be dealt with soon.

Around £1.5 million is set to be allocated for highway strengthening (resurfacing), town centre footways, bridge strengthening, structures major maintenance, drainage, remedial earthworks, road safety and traffic management.

Mr Jervis added: "Such schemes will therefore only be considered if they unlock significant regeneration potential or are primarily funded through external sources."

Schemes will be looked at through a ranking system, and the council has also made £1.12 million available for the structural maintenance of roads to mitigate the effects of reduced revenue funding.

However in order to carry out urgent improvements, major schemes will be put on hold for the time being.

The report added: "It is proposed that the moratorium on major schemes continues in order to focus on investment in the existing infrastructure.

"Major schemes are defined as those which make significant alterations and/or improvements to the highway infrastructure that are in excess of a £50,000 limit as previously agreed by members.

"Such schemes will therefore only be considered if they unlock significant regeneration potential or are primarily funded through external sources. Any such proposals would require approval through cabinet or council."