Road operations, maintenance and renewal programmes: Activity classes - guidance

Archive - this information is for reference only and no longer maintained.

Introduction

This section sets out the guidance on the activity classes for road operations, maintenance and renewal programmes.

This page relates to the 2012-15 NLTP only. 

Expectations

The Transport Agency expects Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways) to use a structured and planned approach to road network management. Forward work programmes and budgets for road operations, maintenance and renewals must be derived from:

• network inventory and condition information
• a regular field inspection programme
• a robust treatment selection process, and
• funding affordability considerations.

Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways) should be able to demonstrate how the proposed road operations, maintenance, renewal and improvement activities optimise the life-cycle costs of their road networks.

Activity classes

There are four activity classes;

• Activity class 8: Maintenance and operation of local roads - applies to Approved Organisations only
• Activity class 9: Maintenance and operation of state highways -applies to the Transport Agency (state highways) only
• Activity class 10: Renewal of local roads - applies to Approved Organisations only
• Activity class 11: Renewal of state highways - applies to the Transport Agency (state highways) only.

To qualify for NLTP consideration

Road maintenance activities described in the following work categories in this section are eligible for inclusion in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

• Work category 111 – Sealed pavement maintenance
• Work category 112 – Unsealed pavement maintenance
• Work category 113 – Routine drainage maintenance
• Work category 114 – Structures maintenance
• Work category 121 – Environmental maintenance
• Work category 122 – Traffic services maintenance
• Work category 123 – Operational traffic management
• Work category 124 – Cycle path maintenance
• Work category 131 – Level crossing warning devices
• Work category 141 – Emergency works
• Work category 151 – Network and asset management
• Work category 161 – Property management (State Highways only)
• Work category 171 – Financial grants
• Work category 211 – Unsealed road metalling
• Work category 212 – Sealed road resurfacing
• Work category 213 – Drainage renewals
• Work category 214 – Sealed road pavement rehabilitation
• Work category 215 – Structures component replacement
• Work category 221 – Environmental renewals
• Work category 222 – Traffic services renewals
• Work Category 231 – Associate Improvements (no longer used)
• Work Category 241 – Preventive Maintenance (no longer used)

Details held by Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (State Highways)

Details of road operations, maintenance, renewal and improvement activities must be held by the organisation responsible for the project. This includes, as appropriate:

• the location and description of the works
• the relationship to any relevant study, strategy, activity management plan or scheme assessment report (SAR )
• candidate prioritisation and treatment identification information
• historic maintenance information for past ten years
• general assessment considerations
• consideration of the strategic fit
• consideration of the effectiveness, and
• an economic efficiency assessment.

Such evidence for individual sites must be provided on request to demonstrate the value-for-money reasons for selecting the activities.

 Activity Management Plans

Consideration should be given to the relationship between the recommendations in the Approved Organisation’s and the Transport Agency's (state highways) Activity Management Plan, the requested funding and the defined quantities for each work category

in the road operations, maintenance and renewal programme.

In particular, consider the robustness of:

• asset information systems (including condition information)
• underlying assumptions
• decision-making processes
• optimisation analysis
• risk assessment, and
• asset management strategies.

Network management

Consideration should be given to changes from national and regional levels of service targets relating to road user satisfaction, safety and asset preservation as set out in the Transport Agency’s Maintenance guidelines for local roads or as otherwise agreed with the Transport Agency.

In particular, consider:

• trends in performance monitoring measures undertaken for the road network, and
• how the trends are proposed to be addressed in the road operations, maintenance and renewal programme.

Quality assurance

Consideration should be given to:

• quality assurance processes, including the field verification of maintenance treatment decisions and technical audit recommendations, and
• close monitoring on reinstatement of services relocation activities.

Innovation

Consider innovation in sustainable practices when selecting materials, maintenance methods, and all other inputs to the submitted programme.

Negotiation process

In addition to the long-term planning undertaken for the development of programmes, the Transport Agency recognises that there may be additional issues that can lead to changes in road operations, maintenance and renewal requirements.

The Transport Agency will discuss these issues as part of the regular liaison with Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways) to review and optimise programmes and also during the assessment process.

Differences in levels of service

The annual funding level for an Approved Organisation’s road operations, maintenance and renewal programme is determined by the Transport Agency, taking into account regional negotiations.

Where an Approved Organisation and the Transport Agency (state highways) wishes to maintain a maintenance activity to a higher standard than that agreed to in the negotiation process, the portion of expenditure receiving financial assistance will be based on the expenditure required to achieve the agreed standards and intervention levels.

Where an Approved Organisation and the Transport Agency (state highways) wishes to maintain a maintenance activity to lesser standards and intervention levels than the Transport Agency's guidelines, financial assistance will be based on the least expenditure. If the lesser standards and intervention levels cause deferred maintenance, Transport Agency reserves the right to not financially assist any future cost greater than the equivalent optimal life-cycle cost.