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| Cash will help keep traffic flowing |
£2 million bonus for county's highways
Staffordshire County Council Leader John Taylor today announced an extra £2 million funding this year to hit localised community concerns across Staffordshire's network of over 3,500 miles of roads.
He told a meeting of all the County Councillors that the extra money would provide the investment needed to transform the way Staffordshire Highways delivers local highway improvements - starting with a blitz on pothole hotspots.
The funding will underpin a drive to take highways maintenance up a gear - creating a network of Community Teams that will work closely with parish councils and local community representatives to identify local priorities.
The funding will do much more than provide a one off hit, but create a launch pad for a long term and systematic transformation of local highways maintenance operations.
The teams will deliver on a range of localised works, which while not major priorities, are a real concern for local communities, including residential footpath improvements, tree maintenance, road markings, signs and street furniture.
The £2 million extra highways funding package will be spent:
- Community Teams - £350,000
- Environmental Improvements - £250,000
- Local highway improvements - £200,000
- Potholes blitz - £400,000
- Footpath resurfacing - ££500,000
- Tree maintenance £150,000
- Road marking improvements £150,000
Councillor Taylor said Staffordshire's highways team already delivered incredible value for money for the tax payer, but this would give them a springboard to go that extra mile.
"The team really do squeeze maximum bang out of every buck. Staffordshire is already among the top ten most efficient highway authorities in the UK. This extra funding will pump prime another gear shift in delivery.
"All year round, every year, the team are out completely revitalising hundreds of miles of roads.
"The lads and lasses at Staffordshire Highways have delivered year on year a string of impressive results. Staffordshire has been praised by government as an example of excellence in managing the highway network to keep traffic moving.
"But while the Staffordshire team really have consistently delivered on safer roads, major multi-award winning schemes like the Rugeley bypass, on cutting edge technological innovations and on environmental improvements,
"But these achievements have been delivered through careful targeting of resources and prioritisation. It's been really hard for the team to get to everything, and public demands and expectations are at an all time high.
"Local concerns about overgrown hedges and potholes still demand action. They really matter. That's what this extra £2 million will focus on.
"Staffordshire County Council's highways managers are putting together an action programme that will focus on the issues that matter immediately to local communities.
"This extra funding is about careful and responsible management of public funding. Staffordshire Highways has done a remarkable job in delivering more for less and is recognised nationally as a four star service, but there is always more to do.
"£2 million is a significant sum, but we spend over £44 million on maintenance alone every year. We won't be able to meet everyone's demands. We have to be realistic. But we are listening to local people's concerns and working even harder to make the funding go even further. It's all about balancing demands to get the best possible deal for the people of Staffordshire," he said.
Page Last Modified:
03/10/2008 11:37:48
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