Agenda and minutes

Items
No. Item

1.

Question from: County Councillor David Selby Subject: Llanidloes Road Improvements

 

Question From:

County Councillor David Selby

Subject:

Llanidloes Road Improvements

Question To:

County Councillor Heulwen Hulme

Portfolio Holder for Environment

 

Question:

Can the Portfolio Holder confirm that as soon as the de-trunking agreement is in place that a plan will be put in place firstly to resurface the road and secondly to use the monies received from the Welsh Government to carry out improvements for pedestrians and cyclists along Llanidloes Road?

 

Minutes:

Response by the Portfolio Holder:

 

Following the opening of the Newtown Bypass to traffic in February 2019, the Welsh Government formally transferred responsibility to PCC for the de-trunked sections of road through Newtown; as well and the newly constructed side roads, on 14 February 2020.

 

PCC were originally commissioned by WG to review the highway asset to establish its present condition and to identify maintenance works that would be required to bring these assets to an acceptable standard that PCC as the Highway Authority would be comfortable in taking over the maintenance responsibility. A schedule of works has been mutually agreed and funding has recently been received (at the end of the financial year) to be used only for the purposes of the works identified, and within a reasonable timeframe. The agreed schedule of works includes:

 

  • Carriageway maintenance
  • Footway maintenance
  • Vehicle Restraint Systems review
  • Structures - repair defects
  • Drainage - rectify issues
  • Signing review
  • Street Lighting renewal / re-design

 

Now we are in receipt of the funding, we will reassess the schedule of works, commence more detailed pre-works and investigations, before confirming and programming works in co-ordination with utility upgrades.

 

With regard to desired improvements along the de-trunked network, unfortunately no funding has yet been made available by the Welsh Government directly from the opening of the bypass. As you are aware local government finds itself in a financially challenging time in responding to the austerity situation, and Powys CC currently has a moratorium on highway improvements. Funding for such improvements will therefore need to be gained through Welsh Government grants via available funding streams such as LTF, LTNF and active travel funding, whilst also meeting the criteria for these to receive appropriate ranking against other Powys schemes and other authorities.