Divisional highway programme
What is a divisional highway programme?
Each county councillor has a Divisional Highway Programme (DHP) which provides the council with a platform to prioritise local highway issues that may not otherwise meet the intervention criteria, for further investigation. These priorities are reviewed twice a year.
As part of the integrated transport programme, as well as communicating approved investment plans that deliver the county council’s strategic transport and highway maintenance policy, the DHP brings together the vast number of requests for improvements to the highway network and enables local community matters to be prioritised.
The DHP therefore strives to promote local prioritisation of the many competing demands for highway improvements; leading towards a balance between the delivery of statutory duties and, locally identified concerns, within the finite resources available.
Each county councillor is allocated approximately £7,000 per annum from the Integrated Transport budget to deliver these locally important issues. Delivery may include the construction/implementation of small engineering works or feasibility studies into potential solutions to the concerns raised.
Other funding opportunities have to be sought if these solutions exceed the Divisional Highway Programme budget.
How can I request issues to be added to a DHP?
Our highways service has a proven track record and is recognised nationally for its road safety record and excellent achievement of delivering priorities set out in the in the local transport plan.
The member led DHP are regularly reviewed and updated and the local community highway liaison teams are dedicated to supporting local members and their communities in identifying, prioritising and commissioning the delivery of improvements to their local built environment.
Members and officers also work closely with parish councils and other local bodies, to make sure that local concerns are identified that could potentially be actioned through DHP funding. It’s at this local level where community leaders can really have an impact in helping set out local priorities.
The easiest way to report highway concerns is by using to record your query in relation to traffic speeds, congestion, road safety, parking or other community highway issues. The local community highway traffic management officer will review your report and provide an electronic response. It is possible at this stage that no further action will be taken and we will simply continue to monitor data for the location. It is also possible that the issue will be referred to the local county councillor’s divisional highway programme for potential investigation in the future.
Alternatively, you could contact your local county councillor to discuss your concerns and they may decide to record the matter on their divisional highway programme. In the future the issue may be considered to be a local community priority over other similarly sincere concerns and be funded for investigation into potential solutions. Solutions may involve small-scale engineering measures or a feasibility study for prospective improvements.