Public expectations of highway maintenance can sometimes be unrealistic in terms of the resources available to highway authorities.
Engineers and highway managers should remember that the public are not expected to understand highway engineering and weather return periods. Therefore, communications should be provided, which succinctly explain the situation and offer helpful guidance to motorists.
This also may reduce some of the blame targeted at highway authorities and improve the movement of those who ‘have’ to travel during periods of adverse weather. Prioritising the road network to meet public expectations.
During recent spells of adverse weather, and specifically heavy snowfall, public expectations often exceeded local highway authorities’ ability to keep roads and footways clear. Despite these high expectations however, a Local Government Association survey revealed that people remained reluctant to pay additional taxes or divert resources from other services to hold large stockpiles of salt[1]
For the most part, the public generally understood that it was necessary for local authorities to prioritise parts of their road network to treat during periods of severe weather. Difficulty has emerged however on which parts of the local network should receive priority. It is for this reason that highway authorities should liaise appropriately with strategic partners at a local level when developing and revising their winter service plan. The winter weather resilience plan should both draw on and inform wider emergency and resilience planning undertaken by local authorities, their delivery partners and local businesses. In reviewing the winter service plans, local authorities and their partners should also examine their consistency with wider policies to ensure that as far as possible, road clearance practices reflect broader policy objectives.Public communications
An essential part to the response of adverse weather emergencies is effective communication with the public. Each highway authority, when developing their winter service plan should consider how it communicates messages to the public when severe disruption is anticipated to hamper the effective movement of people and goods. The best method off communicating with the public at the local, regional and national level should be considered, agreed and reviewed each year.
Local authorities have, in the past, used websites, local authority information teams and the media to provide updates on transport services and road conditions, advice to non-essential journeys and to take precautions where journeys were essential. Each authority has an important role in communicating with the general public to inform them of the actions being taken during periods of adverse weather, including which parts of the network were being treated and how services may be affected. Messages which should be communicated to the public include:
- Avoiding journeys where possible;
- Taking precautions when driving, including vehicle checks, driving techniques, emergency equipment;
- Checking on vulnerable and elderly neighbours and assisting by clearing paths, running errands etc;
- Protecting homes from burst pipes.
Highway authorities should provide clear information to the public and local partners on the levels of service they can expect in the event of severe winter weather both in advance of the winter and during periods of exceptionally cold weather¹.
[1] Weathering the Storm 2 (2010). Local Government Association
Traffic and emergency information
For England, the Highways Agency offer a Traffic information website with current information on disruption to the road network in England.
For Wales, Traffic-Wales / Traffig Cymru offer a Traffic information website with current information on disruption to the road network in Wales.
For Scotland, Traffic Scotland offer a Traffic information website with current information on disruption to the road network in Scotland.
Other local authorities may also offer a localised traffic information service, providing information on disruption to the roads and public transport network. Metropolitan transport authorities such as Transport for London, Centro and MerseyTravel offer such information.