Received by email 11/9/24 from Dst Cllr David Wood:
Meeting ref Hinton Blewett road repairs
I am meeting David Duckett and Highways Officers on 17th September to get an update on road repairs and to discuss outstanding actions.
This is the latest update from B&NES Highways:
Coley Hill
As you will be aware we have upgraded the highway drainage system but like many rural locations, particularly ones with overhanging vegetation and natural banks they are prone to blocking by debris falling onto the highway. The condition/stability of verges and banks/slopes are also impacted by larger vehicles often for agricultural use. The adjacent banks/slopes are private and an engineering solution to stabilise would require considerable resources . Ultimately the landowner is responsible for the slope/bank. I may have misunderstood but was of the understanding the Parish were seeking to engage with the owner to establish their awareness of the issue and if they had any scope to improve the situation. Resurfacing of the hill has in places been undertaken but the significant remainder will like all streets in need of improvement need to be considered against other network priorities, subject to funding allocated. If the site was shortlisted for improvements, then we would consider how the channel could be formalised to capture surface water flows.
Back Lane
I am arranging for silt deposits to be cleared, it has been a lower priority job against other network condition repairs but hope to be there in the next 4 weeks. After silt and debris is cleared we will re-attend with a gully tanker to clear both gullies again. The private ditch into which the highway drainage discharges requires further clearing to give the highway drainage free outfall (water currently ponds at the outfall). My colleagues and I are happy to attend a meeting to discuss further perhaps the parish could arrange with the relevant parties please.
Hook Lane
These gullies are in a works package for this year, we did do some reactive work over the winter. Colleagues have raised a package of work to give them a higher priority.
Middle Rd, south end of Lower Rd ect
Again all gullies in a package for this year, colleagues will chase up any gullies in the village not yet attended to.
Litton Lane
Yes essentially there is a phase 2 in respect of follow up works. In many cases we have to fill the holes in a swift manner to ensure safety is addressed. In this case we are planning to follow up next month with our mobile spray patching lorry to cover over and tie in the areas previously “plugged” We will also attend other locations in the Parish (weather permitting) including Coley Hill.
In terms of managing expectations, many of the issues are in hand but are taking time to resolve. This is off the backdrop of one of the wettest winters on record and a vast number of condition challenges to address across the Highway network. Regrettably, we are yet to see any increase in maintenance budgets to help tackle the impact of global warming and the type of conditions that significantly affect rural communities and their surrounding highways. This is a network wide challenge and for the avoidance of doubt the notion that Bath would get a priority over other rural parishes in NE Somerset is just not accurate.
- Posted: 12th September 2024