Over 200 road improvement schemes are lined up for Central Bedfordshire this year
Wednesday, 24 August 2022
We have released our Highways Annual Plan for 2022/23 which includes over 200 road improvement schemes across Central Bedfordshire.
The schemes include road surfacing enhancements, pavement maintenance, drainage schemes, street lighting upgrades, and bridge works. Over 40 schemes relate to road safety improvements, including speed reduction, traffic calming measures, and the provision of disabled parking bays.
We prioritise the schemes by looking at the condition of the road, pavement, or other highways asset, the repair history, the type of road, and the local infrastructure it supports such as emergency services, critical utilities, public transport facilities, education providers, town centres, visitor attractions, innovation centres and employment hubs.
Speaking about the Annual Plan, Councillor Ian Dalgarno, Executive Member for Community Services, said:
We know our roads are important for everyone who lives or works in Central Bedfordshire and that’s why we’re delighted with the latest Annual Plan which includes a wide range of improvement schemes that will make a real difference to our road network. This plan builds on the great work the Highways team has already been achieving on our roads, pavements, and in our green spaces. We believe that efficient and effective highway asset management can make Central Bedfordshire a place to prosper and be proud of. Our new data-led approach ensures we are making the right improvements, at the right location, and at the right time. We are making the best use of resources to look after our roads.
In total, the Highways service is responsible for keeping over 1,400km of roads safe. This includes maintaining the road surface and looking after more than 220 bridges and structures, over 23,000 streetlights, and around 50,000 drainage gullies.
As well as carrying out the planned schemes, we will continue to carry out reactive repairs for issues reported online via Fix My Street or identified through its regular inspection routes. In 2021/22, we repaired 1,899 potholes, cleaned 14,000 gullies, and fixed more than 1,600 streetlights. View the 2022/23 Annual Plan.