Highway maintenance funding
Network North Roads Resurfacing Fund
Made possible by reallocated HS2 funding.
The Prime Minister's Network North announcement on 4 October 2023 included a commitment to an extra £8.3 billion for local highway maintenance from 2023/24 - 2033/34. This is over and above what local authorities were expecting to receive. They will pay the first £150m of this in 2023/24, in addition to the £200m already announced at Budget 2023.
For the 2023/24 financial year Norfolk County Council received an extra £4,510,000 of funding from the Road Resurfacing Fund. The funding was for local highways maintenance including:
- The resurfacing of carriageways, cycleways, and footways to prevent road defects from occurring
- Tackling other asset management priorities, such as keeping local bridges and other highway structures open and safe
We will receive similar additional funding in 2024/25.
The total minimum additional funding highway authorities will receive, over the 11 years from 2023/24 to 2033/34, is £141,240,000. Government will confirm the profiles for these beyond 2024/25.
It is up to each highway authority to determine how best to spend this funding to fulfil their statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980.
Government announcements
- Read more about the 8 billion boost on GOV.UK.
- View details about the highways maintenance funding increase on GOV.UK.
Detailed plan for delivery
2023/24
Additional Highway Maintenance Funding 2023/24 - Network North. (PDF) [127KB]
As this was additional in-year funding, the distribution was agreed by Cabinet member decision.
It enabled in 2023/24 spend of:
- £2.5m on urgent small scale works over the winter months
- £237,000 on two schemes totalling 0.217 miles in length.
It will enable a £1.773m spend, in 2024/25, on 8 resurfacing schemes. In total this will be 3.195 miles in length.
2024/25
Additional Highway Maintenance Funding 2024/25 - Network North. (PDF) [152KB]
The distribution of additional funding was agreed at our Cabinet Meeting 4 March 2024. This was part of the report on Highway Capital Programme 2024/25, 25/26, 26/27 and Transport Asset Management Plan (TAMP).
It will enable in 2024/25 spend of:
- £554,653 on 15 sites to be treated with a chemical rejuvenation spray 'Reclamite'. The spraying will keep resurfaced roads in good condition by preventing oxidisation of the surface. In total this impacts an area of 5.58 miles in length.
- £2,241,329 on resurfacing 19 sites. In total this impacts an area of 3.59 miles in length.
- £1,714,018 on reconstructing 20 footways. In total this impacts an area of 6.05 miles in length.
Innovation in the delivery of highways maintenance
Our existing highway asset management strategy is to achieve value in terms of whole-life costing. Norfolk uses a preventative approach using intermediate treatments such as:
- Surface dressing
- Rejuvenators to treat roads in the early stages of deterioration
In April 2023 the Road Surface Treatment Association (RSTA) published its assessment for road maintenance interventions for asset management purposes. The report shows that our strategy has a lower carbon footprint than an only resurfacing alternative.
We have established an Operational Relationship Management Plan. The purpose of which is to document our collaborative working arrangements. These arrangements are between Tarmac, Norfolk County Council, WSP and Swarco. We work together to deliver the Norfolk Highways Framework.
We currently have joint value creation teams reviewing drainage, design, early contractor involvement. They also review Network Availability and Post Project Reviews, De-Carbonisation of Services and Materials.
We network with others and are members of:
- National Highway and Transport Network
- Customer Satisfaction and Care Quality Commission (CQC) Efficiency
- Eastern Highways Alliance
- Local Council Roads Innovation Group
- Future Highway Research Group (FHRG)
A recent peer review from the FHRG stated "It is clear that Norfolk Highways and Transport is a highly performing, innovative service with lots the wider sector can learn from. It was a pleasure to be part of the review team."
Minimising how often a road is dug up
Norfolk County Council ensures there is no repeated digging up of the same road by utility companies. We use streetworks, and other powers, to make sure resurfacing works are not undermined by utility company work.
The Traffic Management Act 2004 introduced permit schemes as a different way to manage activities in the public highway. To carry out roadworks, or other notifiable activities on the public highway, you legally need to apply to Norfolk County Council for permission.
Norfolk's scheme received approval by the Secretary of State for Transport in January 2014. It has been operational since May 2014. View more about our Traffic Management permit scheme.
Norfolk uses Section 58 restrictions protect streets for 5-years following the completion of substantial works. This prevents excavations of new works by other works promoters. It also stops successive works taking place in the same location. This does not include connections or emergencies. Find out more about our Section 58 restrictions.
Investment and planned investment
In the list below, we outline the total amount of investment in the maintenance of local highway networks for the years 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24. We also outline our planned investment for 2024/25.
- In 2019/20 we spent a total of £50,769,594.12 on highway maintenance. This comprised:
- Capital spend £30,263,664, Department for Transport (DfT) £29,592,263 and Norfolk County Council (NCC) £671,401
- Revenue £20,505,930 (NCC)
- In 2020/21 we spent a total of £74,996,492.27 on highway maintenance which comprised:
- Capital spend £ 55,266,550 (DfT £54,228,459 and NCC £1,038,091)
- Revenue £19,729,942 (NCC)
- In 2021/22 we spent a total of £64,560,027.25 highway maintenance which comprised:
- Capital spend £ 45,867,140 (DfT £38,630,000 and NCC £7,237,140)
- Revenue £18,692,887 (NCC)
- In 2022/23 we spent a total of £68,005,900.81 highway maintenance which comprised:
- Capital spend £ 44,830,068 (DfT £37,953,000 and NCC £6,877,068)
- Revenue £23,175,832 (NCC)
- In 2023/24 we estimate we will spend a total of £77,444,949.00 highway maintenance which comprises:
- Capital spend £ 52,226,279 (DfT £47,692,800 and NCC £4,533,479)
- Revenue £25,218,670 (NCC)
- In 2024/25 we estimate we will spend a total of £76,045,930.00 highway maintenance which comprises:
- Capital spend £ 49,880,000 (DfT £44,442,000 and NCC £5,438,000)
- Revenue £26,165,930 (NCC)
We have a Streetlight Private Finance Initiative (PFI), so the capital spend for this is not included.
Reporting
Quarterly reporting
Our first quarterly report is due for publication in June 2024. Reports will summarise resurfacing and other highway maintenance activities. They will include a list of all roads that have been resurfaced.
An annual report
A template will be provided by Government.
Long-term plan
During 2024/25 the DfT will require local highway authorities to publish a long-term plan. The plan will contain details on the full use of the 11-year funding and the transformation it will deliver. The DfT will provide further advice on these long-term plans in due course. This advice will include the extent to which the 11-year plans should be integrated with other local plans.