Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Highways and Public Protection

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Highways and Public Protection that sought comments on the updated Vehicle Crossing Policy (the Policy) to align it with the latest Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice, the Transport and Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Policy and Strategy 2019/21 and the recently updated Developers Pack; and which indicated that the Policy would enable the Council to operate in a consistent and transparent manner and fully recover costs incurred in providing the service.

The report indicated that the Council, as the Highway Authority, had a statutory obligation to manage and maintain the public highway; that vehicle crossings were provided to assist vehicle access across footways into driveways at the request of householders, subject to payment of the costs of installation; that the construction of a vehicle crossing by the Highway Authority did not give the occupier of the premises any particular rights, except to drive across the footway to gain access to his/her property with a private light goods or similar vehicle and that the crossing itself formed part of the public highway; and that it had been identified in recent years that there had been a number of defects identified within the footpath areas of the highway that had not been included for reconstruction as part of the provision of vehicle crossings and these subsequent defects were the responsibility of the Council.

The report concluded by detailing the proposed changes to the Policy in respect of:

A copy of the draft Sefton Council Vehicle Crossings Policy was attached as an appendix to the report.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·        Vehicle crossings that would cover the full length of the driveway and the potential increased costs for homeowners

·        It was suggested that vehicles parked off the highway on driveways could contribute to highway safety

·        The potential for homeowners to spread the cost of constructing driveways over a period of time

·        In respect of the fee associated with staff costs to be split into two elements, the first being a non-refundable fee for the provision of a quote, information was sought on the take-up of the construction of driveways following the receipt of a quote such works

RESOLVED:

That the updates to the Sefton Council Vehicle Crossings Policy be approved.