Plans and overall strategy
On this page, you can find out about what were are currently doing and what we plan to do to improve highway management.
Our current approach to asset management/highway maintenance
We make sure we follow the guidance in the code of practice for highways 'Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure'.
When choosing which area to look at next, we follow a risk-based approach. We consider busy areas for people and cars as high risk and are less likely to target them. Examples include areas around:
- schools
- hospitals
- bus routes
We do not automatically consider roads in the worst condition first. Instead we make sure that we look at many different factors before making decisions.
This risk-based approach also looks at both:
- road safety
- Traffic Regulation Order schemes
Our yearly condition data surveys cover all of our roads and pavements. This allows us to make better decisions.
We can make changes each year based on factors such as areas where the conditions have become worse.
We aim to work together more with areas outside of highways. This is one of our key focus areas, which will help to improve efficiency and value for money.
What we are doing to follow best practice, find new ways of working and improve efficiency
Reviewing road safety
We are looking closely at road safety and are already looking at collision investigations and finding hot spots. We have identified some concerns at zebra crossings and are now looking at two solutions to fix this.
- An extra person-activated LED light.
- A more visible halo.
The halo will allow us to record more data. It will show:
- how much the zebra crossing is used
- near misses to users of the crossing
- speed of approaching vehicles
- air quality levels around the crossing
We are likely to be the only authority to use both of these systems.
Working with other service areas
To improve efficiency and try to increase cost savings, we share our plans with all our service areas. This is so they can use any Traffic Management (TM) that we put in place. As an example, during carriageway resurfacing on a dual carriageway, we were also able to:
- empty the road drains (gullies)
- cut the grass on the verge and central reserve
- repair signs
- repair streetlights
Information dashboards
We will include key information in these new dashboards. They will allow people to easily find information they need without needing to submit a Freedom of Information request. The first of these will be for potholes.
Pothole repairs
We now make permanent repairs on all potholes. This makes sure they last and do not need multiple visits in the same year.
Another proactive approach is around our small patch scheme. This is where the area around an existing pothole is unstable and repairing the pothole alone would not be enough.
When selecting our plans, we include extra factors including:
- potholes on roads (carriageways)
- trees for pavements (footways)
Past repairs show us which roads and pavements we repeatedly fix. We consider this information when planning preventative options.
Flooding and poor drainage can have a large impact on our network. We have recently removed this task from our waste contract. Highways now complete this. To improve this process, we focus where we empty the drains (gullies). This makes sure we treat certain areas more often, for example areas with surface flooding. We are including this in our improvements as they are:
- efficient
- a more effective solution
We are currently upgrading our Asset Management system, which will offer live reporting.
We have looked in more detail at materials and machinery, including a trial with Pothole Pro.
Our next Highways Maintenance contractor must submit new and improved ways of working as part of their bid. The new contractor is due to start in April 2026.
Plans for 2025 to 2026
Which parts of our network will benefit?
We will focus risk in-line with the Code of Practice requirements. This means our scheme selection will look at busy key areas including:
- the hospital
- schools
- bus routes
We have increased our Highway Improvement budget for a second year running. £8m has been allocated to road (carriageway) and pavement (footway) plans. We also aim to take a full street scene approach for each scheme. This means we will pick up more items we need to replace while completing the works. This includes:
- signs
- road markings
- road drains (gullies)
- inspection covers
What will be the split between preventative and reactive works?
Preventative works are long lasting. They aim to limit the need for regular repairs. Whereas reactive works are completed as and when needed.
We will focus on preventative works and have moved to permanent repairs on all our potholes. Sometimes temporary repairs are completed on high risk roads. We also plan to complete larger patching areas, to avoid repairing a pothole within a surrounding weak area. Our use of risk information means that we can find the roads and pavements before they fully fail. This leads to:
- better use of money
- less disruption
- fewer incidents
How many miles of roads are we planning to resurface?
This year, we plan to resurface 5 miles. This includes work that:
- has already been completed
- is currently underway
We will look to add more schemes through our DfT Local Transport Plan (LTP) grant funding.
Our new 5 year programme means that we can better plan and work together with utility companies. We can then make sure that any of their major works are finished before we start our own.
How many pavements do we plan to improve?
With the increase in budget this year, we are planning 17 schemes covering 10 miles of pavement. We will also look to complete extra works through:
- the LTP grant funding
- our Bus Service Improvement Programme (BSIP)
- our own revenue maintenance works
Which of our structures do we plan to repair?
In 2025, due to safety concerns, we closed Chalkwell Ramp. We plan to take down the current ramp and replace it with a temporary one. This will return access for all, before we start work on a permanent replacement.
After inspecting Gypsy Bridge, we will carry out maintenance work.
We are working on a better way to inspect our remaining structures. Our goal is to create a five year plan that lists:
- the cost of maintenance work needed
- priority of works
How many potholes do we plan to fill during 2025 to 2026?
Based on previous data, and in line with our current Highways Inspection policy, roughly 2000 potholes. In reality, we expect this number to be much higher due to:
- our other highways schemes
- patching works
- proactive approach
Streetworks
What are we doing to limit the disruption caused by streetworks and make sure that they are planned and coordinated effectively?
Since 2016, we have been operating under the East of England Permit Scheme. We continue to manage our road network effectively by coordinating works in line with the Traffic Management Act 2004. We work with utility companies and our own contractors who supply the city with:
- power
- water
- gas
- telecoms
Where possible, we coordinate their major works alongside our own planned schemes. This makes sure that we reduce disruption as much as possible.
As the Highway Authority, we carefully plan major projects and resurfacing work. This gives utility companies advance notice, so they can prepare in advance. It also helps us plan and schedule any other work needed in the same area. Even with smaller jobs, we still look at other works and ask them to complete at the same time. We do understand that this is not always possible.
TM often causes disruptions. We look at which TM would be best for the location and consider factors such as working time.
Sometimes we keep TM in place 24/7, even when it's not strictly necessary. This:
- shortens the overall time the work takes
- makes it easier to manage
- gives us enough time to get everything done
We hold:
- monthly meetings with our maintenance contractors
- monthly meetings with our major scheme contractors
- quarterly meetings with utilities, major works and major scheme engineers
We must treat our works and those of utility companies equally.
We use One Network to coordinate our works. This includes works in other Highway Authorities that might affect our network.
Climate change, resilience and adaptation
What are we doing to reduce our carbon footprint around maintenance operations?
We find and use eco-friendly solutions to reduce carbon emissions from our work and the city's infrastructure. Since 2015, when Marlborough Highways began working with us, we have made progress in reducing carbon emissions.
Steps taken
We now use more recycled materials around the city. Examples include:
- mixing recycled asphalt into new road surfaces (saving 127 tonnes of carbon in 2024)
- using eco-friendly materials like low-carbon concrete and natural stone for sea defences at Two Tree Island
We have given workers greener tools, such as:
- electric vans
- solar-powered traffic lights
This reduces carbon emissions during their work.
We have added renewable energy infrastructure, such as wind and solar-powered streetlights at East Beach Car Park.
We recycle all construction waste instead of sending it to landfill and use local waste companies to cut down on transport emissions.
We help design and maintain green infrastructure, such as the eco-friendly drainage systems at Southchurch Park East Car Park.
How we understand the risks the network faces from the changing climate and to make them more resilient
As a historic seaside city, we face many challenges from the growing impacts of Climate Change. This affects:
- our infrastructure
- our coastal defences
- Southend as a place to live, work and visit
We work with our partners and use our funding to improve infrastructure. This helps to future proof the city.
Ongoing projects
We capture and store storm water, to strengthen our drainage system.
As part of the Catchment to Coast partnership, we are working on a series of trials to upgrade Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). This treats harmful elements of waste and sewage helping to support the natural environment along the Thames coast.
As part of the wider One Council transformation plans, our Highways team is piloting a new data dashboard. This is alongside an upgrade to our asset management system (Symology).
Through the pilot, we aim to prove value in a centrally managed hub of data. Some of which can be made publicly available. The goal is to make more data available to residents, in an accessible and interactive format.
The One Council programme aims to invest in:
- live dashboards
- live reporting
- open-data solutions
Using real-time data, this will help our services to:
- identify trends
- efficiently share service delivery resources
- improve service delivery
This will lead to improved:
- data control
- data quality
- data management processes
In order to make these changes, we will use existing products like:
- PowerBI
- MySouthend
- other existing tools
The programme also aims to:
- improve internal response times for transport-related queries
- improve access to data
- improve customer experience
- save our team's time