Local highways maintenance transparency report

Plans

Overall strategy

North Northamptonshire Council has a Highway Asset Management Policy and Highway Asset Management Strategy which promotes a preventative maintenance approach to carriageway maintenance.

Asset specific Highway Asset Management Plans are currently being updated to capture how each asset is managed, in line with the overall asset management policy and strategy.

Each year, we agree an Annual Plan that sets out what services, works and schemes are going to be delivered in year, along with an overview of a forward programme of priorities.

Effective asset management is one of the key factors in delivering a highway network that meets North Northamptonshire’s needs. Asset management will allow decisions to be made in a consistent manner and will allow the highway assets to be managed and maintained appropriately to ensure safety, serviceability and sustainability, as outlined in our Highways Asset Management Policy and Strategy.

The strategy states that we will manage and maintain its highways assets in a planned, cost effective, coordinated, sustainable and efficient manner, over the whole life cycle of the asset.

Our Asset Management approach follows best practice and incorporates guidance given in the UK Roads Liaison Group / Highway Maintenance Efficiency Programme (UKRLG / HMEP), Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Guidance Document.

Best practice and innovation

We continue to explore innovations in materials and processes that will support cost-efficiency and sustainability.

We have innovations working groups that explore ideas that can be trialled, and we also collaborate and share best practice with other local authorities who use the same service provider.

Innovations that are now embedded within our service delivery include:

• Roadmender - a permanent hot lay repair system using polymer-modified bitumen, offering durable pothole fixes with minimal waste and disruption
• Thermal patching - a technique that reworks and compacts existing asphalt using heat, enabling efficient surface defect repairs without full excavation
• Spray injection patching - uses a high pressure machine to inject a mixture of hot asphalt into potholes and cracks to quickly and cost effectively repair defects

Specific plans for 2025/26

In line with our highway asset management strategy, as part of the 2025/26 Annual Plan we will be completing 3.7 kilometres of micro asphalt and 12.4 kilometres of surface dressing as part of our carriageway preventative maintenance approach. In addition, we will be resurfacing 1.2 kilometres of carriageway.

We will also be repairing two structures and conducting minor maintenance on a further 3 bridges and structures.

We will be conducting a number of investigations at locations where we are aware of problems with the effectiveness of the highway drainage system and will complete any necessary repairs.

Streetworks

North Northamptonshire Council undertakes to coordinate all works taking place within its highway network to minimise disruption, ensuring collaborative working opportunities are identified and used alongside other various mitigation measures. The council adheres to legislation, including the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) 1991 and all its associated Codes of Practice and the Traffic Management Act 2004 as well as other statutory guidance, guidance notes and good practice provided by DfT and Highways and Utilities Committee (HAUC), which outline the responsibilities of utility companies and the regulatory duties of the Highway Authority.

North Northamptonshire Council operates a permit scheme, this enables effective management of the highway network and control of activities taking place within it allowing for fulfilment of the network management duty. Up-to-date traffic management information is publicised via one.network. Additional information is provided to stakeholders via, reporting, press releases, and social media platforms to keep stakeholders informed.

Climate change, resilience and adaptation

The highway network faces threats from climate with the potential for increased flooding, more powerful storms and extreme cold or heat, all of which can alter the road surface and cause defects and disruption to everyday travel.

We have been working to decarbonise our highway maintenance operations by:

• trialling and investing in low carbon pothole repair equipment such as Roadmender, which is made of 100% recycled content and produces no waste
• using Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil, rather than diesel, to fuel gritting fleet
• recycling of end-of-life personal protective equipment
• use electric powered plant to replace petrol powered equivalents
• use of foam-mix on suitable sites which allows recycling of both hazardous and non-hazardous asphalt waste
• identify, with support of supply chain partners, aggregates and other road laying materials that have greater environmental attributes compared to primary sourced materials

Moving forward, we will:

• continue to work with supply chain partners to identify new, efficient methods of working and identifying new materials to be used on the highways
• use the cross authority innovations group to share best practice and to identify new materials and technology to help with mitigation and adaptation towards climate change 
• continue to decarbonise highway maintenance vehicles at an end of lease basis and replace with electric vehicles where possible depending on availability
• enhance the natural environment along highways through tree planting and grass verge management and restoration
• use technologies that will allow in situ recycling of road materials to reduce the use of new materials

A combined approach of carbon mitigation and adaptation will be required to ensure that we are reducing the emissions being produced to lessen the impact of climate change in years to come as well as adapting to the changes we are currently experiencing.

Last updated 26 June 2025