TRUNK ROADS IN ENGLAND: THE CODE OF PRACTICE FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

At present, the Department of Transport divides its road maintenance programme into three general categories - structural, winter and routine maintenance. The operational management of the first two categories is sufficiently well covered by departmental standards and advice notes, management notices and, in the case of winter maintenance, a code of practice, therefore adequately consistent operation is achieved. This is not the situation however for routine maintenance, although the need for consistency across the department's trunk road network is just as real. Routine maintenance includes a wide range of different activities and it was concluded that the best way to achieve a consistent approach would be to implement a code of practice. The code would set out the operational requirements of the secretary of state thus providing a fixed basis for the implementation and management of the work by those who undertake it on his behalf. The paper gives the historical background and justification to the code of practice and describes its scope, the preparatory work and contents. It concludes with an indication of the future use of the code. For the covering abstract of the seminar see TRIS 450808. (TRRL)