Highways planned maintenance work

Hull City Council Highway Network

We as the highway authority are responsible for the maintenance and management of the public highway ensuring it remains safe for all users.

In Hull, we are responsible for managing all local roads and footways within the city boundary that are part of the adopted highway network. The A63 Castle Street is not part of the adopted highway, and the maintenance responsibilities for this road lie with National Highways. A breakdown of the length of highway network managed by us can be found in the table below -

As well as maintaining a total of 731km of road network and 1,109km of footpaths and cycleways within the city boundary, we are also responsible for maintaining a large network of additional assets in order to keep the public highway safe and passable for all users including -

• 220km of housing revenue association footpaths and roads
• 62km of footpaths and roads within parks & open spaces
• 284 bridges and structures
• 33,000 streetlights
• 2,600 illuminated traffic signs
• 77,318 gullies

The total value of all highway assets that we are responsible for maintaining is just under £2billion.

Highways maintenance spending

The UK Department for Transport (DfT) provides funding towards highway maintenance to those Local Authorities who are responsible for maintaining their highway network. This funding is provided so that a programme of planned maintenance can be undertaken. Additional funding is available as part of an incentive element for those authorities who are demonstrating effective asset management practices.

A breakdown of the funding that has been allocated to Hull City Council by the DfT can be found in the table below. The allocated funding figures include the Highway Maintenance block (HMB) and the HMB incentive elements as well as the challenge fund and pothole funding figures. The Integrated transport Block (ITB) funding element has been removed to reflect more accurately the actual funding available for maintenance projects.

In addition to the DfT funding allocation, Hull City Council also allocates additional capital funding from its own internal budgets. This allows for an increase in the amount of planned maintenance that can be undertaken.

Annual highway maintenance spending figure

The capital spend figures in the table above account for planned maintenance work that has been carried out on both the road and footpath network in each of the financial years listed. This work will generally consist of more major treatments such as full depth reconstruction or deep plane and resurface. The capital figures also include preventative maintenance work that has been undertaken on the network with more information on the treatments and process currently utilised by Hull City Council provided below.

The revenue spend provides information on capital funding that has been converted to revenue by the Council. This is done so that the required level of reactive maintenance can be undertaken in accordance with the risk-based safety inspections.

Preventative Highway Maintenance

Preventive highway maintenance is undertaken annually and is based on the concept that prevention is better than cure and it involves taking proactive measures to address potential issues before they arise. This is a tried and tested, cost-effective approach to maintenance that helps to extend the lifespan of roads and footpaths whilst reducing the need for extensive, costly repairs to take place.

We currently undertake several proactive maintenance programmes to address issues with the public highway on an annual basis. These include the following -

Micro-surfacing

As part of a rolling 6 year contract, the Council undertake an annual micro-surfacing programme which consists of overlaying the existing road surface on residential roads with a polymer-modified asphalt surface treatment. This is a cost effective and environmentally friendly way of rejuvenating and sealing up road surfaces whilst extending their life expectancy. The annual programme allows the authority to treat approximately 40,000m2 of residential roads annually.

Surface Dressing

The Council undertakes an annual surface dressing programme which consists of applying hot, adhesive bitumen to the road, covering it with chippings, and then rolling them in before allowing everyday traffic to bed the chippings in further. Surface dressing is a fast and cost-effective method of fixing, preserving and prolonging the lifespan of a road. The process actively reduces the risk of potholes forming as it seals the road and stops water from entering and damaging the surface. It also greatly improves skid resistance for vehicles.

Surface dressing is generally undertaken on the principal A roads, the non-Principal B & C roads and the recently recategorised U1 Roads covering up to 50,000m2 annually.

The combined 90,000m2 of surface dressing and micro-surfacing translates to nearly 2% of the local authorities’ road network being treated annually and accounts for approximately 20% of the capital road maintenance budget.

Slurry sealing

The Council undertakes an annual slurry sealing programme which consists of applying a thin layer of slurry made up of bitumen, emulsion and aggregate to the existing footpath surface. This process seals the footpath surface protecting it from water damage. The material fills minor cracks and shallow defects whilst also helping to level uneven areas.

The slurry sealing programme covers approximately 17,000m2 of footpath annually, which delays the need for extensive, more expensive repairs to be undertaken by prolonging the life of these footpath. 

The revenue spend figure accounts for work that has been undertaken to carry out reactive maintenance or repair work on the public highway. This work is undertaken on both the footpath and road network to defects identified through safety inspections and public enquiries which is in accordance with the well-managed highways infrastructure recommendations based on a risk-based approach. The bulk of reactive maintenance work involves repairing isolated defects on the public highway which are commonly referred to as “potholes” and the following table provides further information on the number of repairs that have been undertaken in recent years.

Potholes/defect repaired

In addition to repairing potholes or defects, we also has a responsibility to maintain and repair other highway assets including -

• bollards
• guard rail
• drainage covers
• kerbs
• road markings

Most reactive maintenance work on the public highway is undertaken internally by our direct labour organisation in Streetscene services but road marking maintenance is currently undertaken by an external contractor. 

We also undertake a programme of patching using a hot applied, thin veneer material comprising a blend of resins, aggregates and polymers. This is a quick, cost-effective process that is ideal for pre-surface dressing patching on the major road network or for repairing shallow defects and potholes on residential roads.

Condition of local roads

We are required to undertake an annual road condition assessment of the principal A roads and the non-principal B and C roads. This is currently undertaken in the form of a SCANNER survey (surface condition assessment for the national network of roads) which is carried out using laser-based technology.  Several parameters are measured in these surveys which are used to produce a road condition indicator for each 10-metre section of road which is then categorised into the following 3 condition categories:

• green – no further investigation or treatment required
• amber – maintenance may be required soon
• red – should be assessed and considered for maintenance

From 2026 to 2027 a new methodology will be used based on the BSI PAS-2161 standard. This new standard will categorise roads into 5 condition categories instead of 3 which will help local authorities, and the government gain a more detailed understanding of road condition in England.

Based on the information provided by the SCANNER survey, the tables below show what percentage of the principal A roads, and the non-principal B and C roads were in each condition category over the last 5 years.

Percentage of A roads in each condition category

Percentage of B and C roads in each condition category

By effectively utilising preventative maintenance treatments like surface dressing on those sections of road that currently sit within the amber category, the highway asset management team have manged to prevent some of these amber sections from becoming red and keeping the percentage of the network that sits within the red category at a steady state over the last 5 years.      

The unclassified network is a combination of both residential side roads and some major strategic roads that form the main bus routes and links across the city. In 2020, Hull City Council asset team split the unclassified network into 2 groups, the ‘U1 roads’ which included all major strategic roads and bus routes, and the ‘U2 roads’ which include the remaining residential roads. This has allowed the team to extend the SCANNER survey onto the 100km of ‘U1’ roads which show similar characteristics to the principal A road network and the non-principal B and C road network.

By identifying the U1 roads in this way, the Council are able to gain a better understanding of the networks overall condition by comparing roads with a similar level of traffic and construction against one another.

A DVI (detailed visual inspection) survey is then carried out on the remaining U2 residential roads which consists of a walked visual survey undertaken by a trained surveyor. The data provided by the 2 surveys gives us a more informed understanding on the condition of our unclassified network and the tables below help to show this in comparable format to that of the A,B and C road network.

Percentage of strategic U1 roads in each condition category

Percentage of residential U2 roads in each condition category

Overall strategy

Our current approach to asset management and highway maintenance is in accordance with “the well-managed highway infrastructure code of practice” and is predominantly driven by risk-based assessments of the highway network. In order to provide a safe and well-maintained highway network, we will continue to make sure that data held on the condition of the network is as up to date as possible. To achieve this relies heavily on our now adopted risk-based approach for safety inspections and the real time information these inspections provide. As an authority, we will continue to undertake condition surveys on a vast proportion of the network annually to ensure we have a true understanding of the networks condition as a whole. We will then use the data provided by these surveys and inspections, to make informed decisions using sound engineering judgement to select which sections of the network are most in need of treatment. The process and decision making will also take in to account the city’s local needs and priorities.

Going forward, the Council will look to embrace new and emerging technologies in both data collection and maintenance delivery in order to drive greater efficiency in delivering a well-maintained highway network for local residents.

Hull City Council currently allocates a significant proportion of its annual budget to preventative maintenance and will continue to do so over the coming years. This should as a minimum, maintain the condition of the network in its current steady state, which will limit the need for more significant, costly repairs to be undertaken on a larger percentage of the network.

Specific plans for 2025 to 2026

Roads

We have already undertaken its seasonal micro-surfacing programme for 2025-2026, surfacing nearly 40,000m2 of residential roads across 27 streets.

The annual surface dressing programme is expected to start in the middle of July which will see approximately 44,000m2 of the major road network rejuvenated across 15 sites. As part of the surface dressing preparation work, approximately 2,000m2 of thin veneer patching will be undertaken on these sites prior to them being surface dressed.

15 major schemes are currently included within this year’s capital programme, which will see those sections of the network that have been identified for significant repair either reconstructed or resurfaced over the coming financial year.

In accordance with our risk-based approach to asset management, those parts of the network that have been identified as most in need of treatment have been included in this year’s programme of work which includes improvements taking place on all categories of road within the city.

Footpaths

There are 58 schemes covering approximately 23,000m2 of footpath in this year’s capital footpath programme. These footpaths have been identified for either full reconstruction, plane and resurface or for retread/recycling.

We will be undertaking a programme of slurry sealing work as it does every year, which will include 15 schemes covering approximately 15,000m2 of footpath across the city. This programme is expected to be undertaken in the months of September and October, avoiding the less favourable winter months.

In total, the council plans to undertake 73 footpath schemes in this year’s footpath maintenance programme which equates to approximately 38,000m2 of footpath improvements across the city.

Reactive Maintenance

It is not possible to predict how the condition of the highway will deteriorate over the next year as there are too many variables which can influence the rate of deterioration across the network. As one of its statutory functions, the Council utilises its 9 highway inspectors to undertake a robust routine safety inspection regime with all parts of the network inspected at various intervals annually. The number of defects or potholes identified as part of these inspections will ultimately determine the pothole figure for this financial year.

Based on current trends, the council have identified and repaired an average of 5,968 defects/potholes annually over the last 5 years. We would therefore expect the figure for 2025 to 2026 to be somewhere near this value which consists of 3,275 repairs undertaken on the road network and 2,694 repairs undertaken on the footpath network annually.

Streetworks

We operate a permit scheme to co-ordinate works on the public highway. This includes all work carried out by us including both reactive and planned maintenance, as well as any major projects.

Other work that falls under the requirements of the permit scheme include works undertaken by utility companies, National Highways, developers and any other 3rd party promoters.

We use systems including street manager, confirm asset management and one.network to ensure effective co-ordination and compliance with statutory duties.

Monthly co-ordination meetings are undertaken with all stakeholders to discuss forward plans and prioritise workspace across the city to minimise disruption.

To ensure all organisations comply with their permit conditions, the council undertake various inspections including random sample, routine and permit compliance inspections. Any NRSWA breaches or reinstatement defect failures are identified and recorded on the relevant system with fines or fixed penalty notices issued in some instances.

In accordance with the New Roads and Streetworks Act (NRSWA), we have also registered an extensive list of ‘special engineering difficulty roads’ (SED) on the National Street Gazetteer. This is mainly due to the large number of roads that are of concrete construction throughout the city but also listed are streets with specialist construction in high amenity areas such as the Public Realm. Undertakers wanting to work in these streets must reinstate them in accordance with our SED specifications which are designed to ensure the integrity of the highway is maintained and significant investment is protected.

We also impose Section 58 restrictions on any roads or footpaths where planned maintenance is either due to be carried out or has already been carried out. By imposing these restrictions, the council can prevent anybody from working on the same section of road or footpath for a period of up to 3 years after significant maintenance work has been completed. The use of section 58 restrictions promotes better forward planning and helps to encourage collaborative working between all stakeholders which significantly reduces disruption to the highway network for residents.

Climate change, resilience and adaption

By using proactive maintenance through our surface dressing, micro surfacing and slurry sealing programmes, the Council is reducing its carbon footprint by increasing the whole life expectancy of the existing network, reducing the amount of significant reconstruction work required which in turn reduces the amount of carbon heavy processes.

When resurfacing schemes are undertaken, warm mix asphalts (WMA) are now specified which can mean up to a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions associated with asphalt production. The reduced cooling time of WMA allows for more material to be laid in a single shift and by reducing the number of shifts emissions can be reduced further still.

Up to 50% of our capital footpath programme is undertaken using a retread process. The process involves scarifying the existing tarmac layers, rejuvenating them with a polymer modified bitumen emulsion and compacting them to form the base of the new footpath before applying a new surface layer. Recycling footpaths as opposed to reconstructing them reduces the amount of excavation, waste disposal and new tarmac that is required. This means haulage is significantly reduced as is asphalt production and handling so by utilising the retread process, the Council are actively trying to decarbonise its footpath maintenance programme.

The City of Hull is predominantly flat which has led to significant issues with flooding and standing water historically. To combat this, sustainable drainage systems (SUD’s) are now specified when suitable and particularly when constructing new residential parking areas within built up areas.

We have recently partnered with Yorkshire Water on a “living with water” project which has seen significant investment made in flood risk preventions across the city including a trial scheme to install permeable paving when reconstructing a full residential street which so far has proved successful.

In partnership with the neighbouring authority, East Riding Council, aqua green flood alleviation schemes are being constructed on the city boundary to manage flood risk and movement of water in the hope of avoiding a reoccurrence of the 2007 floods. As well as improving Hull’s resilience to flooding, this will also prevent the buildup of rainwater on the network which accelerates the rate of deterioration for any minor surface defects.

To increase resilience within our maintenance programme, our asset team have taken the decision to specify premium Asphalt materials when resurfacing most of its roads. Although the initial cost of these materials is slightly more than that of standard Asphalts, the cost is offset by the extended whole life expectancy the premium materials provide.

The premium materials include a 25mm thick, stress absorbing membrane interlayer (SAMI) which is a material that consists of a 4mm aggregate, and a premium polymer modified binder resulting in a dense but highly flexible layer. Specifying this product offers a long-term resistance to thermal and traffic induced cracking in asphalt overlays on concrete bases.

When detailing surfacing layers, the council are moving away from hot rolled asphalt materials (HRA) and are instead specifying materials which contain high performance polymer modified binders (PMB) and selected aggregates. Specifying these surfacing materials will again increase the flexibility and therefore endurance of the surface meaning a greater life expectancy.

Specifying the SAMI and PMB surfacing materials is of specific importance to maintenance on the Hull City network which consists of mainly concrete base constructions which are more vulnerable to the changes in temperature resulting from climate change.