Dozens of Hartlepool roads set for improvements after highways maintenance programme approved

Hartlepool Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee has confirmed schemes as part of the local authority’s five year highway maintenance programme.

The estimated budget for the 2022/23 financial year is £1,558,000 with the final list of roads being drawn up in response to surveys and technical assessments.

According to a report prepared for councillors, roads and foot ways included in the maintenance programme are those that are in “the most need of repair”.

However highways chiefs confirmed that individual projects could be re-prioritised as circumstances change, as “one highway can deteriorate more quickly than another”.

Kieran Bostock, assistant director for place management on the council, introduced a report on the highways maintenance programme to councillors this week.

He told the meeting: “For the next financial year, the grant allocation for highway maintenance is expected to remain broadly similar to previous years.

“Due to a large number of roads having the same ratings across the whole town, our assessment is also supplemented by assessments carried out by our in-house highway inspectors, but also with consideration from requests received from members of the public and ward councillors.”

While councillors on the Neighbourhood Services Committee were supportive of the plans, some questions were raised about the cost estimates for individual projects.

In response to a question from councillor Rob Cook, council officers also stressed that the local authority would continue to lobby for external funding to improve Hartlepool’s road network.

A report to the Neighbourhood Services Committee said maintaining the highway network involved “monitoring the condition and at the best time, applying the most cost effective treatment to maximise the life of the road”.

It added that the “council achieves this through both planned and reactive maintenance based on an assessment of need, and making use of the latest available processes and techniques.”

Councillor Cameron Stokell, chair of the Neighbourhood Services Committee, welcomed the flexibility built into the five year highways maintenance programme.

Cllr Stokell added:“I think it’s good to see that the list is not set in stone and if roads deteriorate those can be moved further up and we’re taking it on a priority basis.”

Hartlepool Borough Council Highways Maintenance Programme (2022/23)

(Location, scale of work and costs outlined in report)

Sections of key route network, subject to inspections (A689, A179) – £340,000Mowbray Road (Sections) – £112,000Tofts Farm Rd East (Sections) – £41,000Bolton Grove (Full) – £30,000Vicarage Row (Full) – £15,000Coal Lane (Sections) – £70,000Kesteven Road (Sections) – £26,000Catcote Road (Sections) – £112,000Leamington Drive (Full) – £9,000Leamington Parade (Full) – £25,000Colwyn Road (Sections) – £24,000Park Road (Sections) – £77,000Eldon Grove (Park Rd to Clifton Ave) – £23,000Grange Road (Sections) – £37,000Wooler Road (White House Rbt) – £39,000Old School Lane (Sections) – £20,000Worset Lane (Sections) – £56,000Butts Lane (Sections) – £27,000Middleton Road (Raby Rd to Lancaster Rd) – £47,000A179 Asda Rbt (Full) – £100,000Lansdowne Road (Full) – £24,000Studland Drive (Sections) – £20,000Durham Street (Sections) – £62,000Albion Terrace (Full) – £72,000Southgate (Full) – £30,000Prissick St/ Cliff Ter (Full) – £33,000Murray Street (Sections) – £67,000Malcolm Road (Full) – £20,000