Streetwise!
Pinchbeck during the recent Surfleet Road works
How we keep roadwork disruption to a minimum.
Lincolnshire sees around 70,000 street works every year. That includes emergency repairs, utility upgrades, new developments and maintenance. That’s a lot of roadworks!
To manage this, we introduced the Lincolnshire Street Works Charter - an agreement between all the organisations that carry out works on the highway, to keep disruption to a minimum.
What should happen?
The charter means work should be coordinated and should consider the wider impact on the network. Over the past year, this approach has led to around 300 joint schemes. And fewer separate closures means fewer delays for drivers.
What else is better?
Signage should now be clearer with things like QR codes that allow residents to give feedback.
When disruption is too much
Anyone who travelled through Pinchbeck during the recent Surfleet Road works will certainly remember the disruption. Road closures were supposed to be short-term for a developerled project. But traffic slowed to a crawl, diversions were frustrating and residents were understandably annoyed as the project continued longer than planned.
The delays were caused by a mix of difficult ground conditions, persistent bad weather and unexpected complications with underground infrastructure. But this wasn’t the fault of locals so we intervened, issuing an overstay penalty and pressing for stronger action on site.
Cllr David East, executive councillor for highways and transport, said: “While some of the delays were unavoidable, the level of impact was not acceptable. That’s why we stepped in. Our priority is always to protect residents, keep Lincolnshire moving, and ensure that organisations working on our network meet the standards we expect.”
Surfleet Road is a reminder of how unpredictable highway works can be. Even well planned schemes can run into problems once crews start digging.
The team behind the scenes
Our inspectors and coordinators are out on the network every day. Last year they carried out more than 38,000 inspections.
Their job is to make sure works are safe, compliant and progressing properly.
When they are not, we step in. Penalties are used to raise standards and prevent repeat issues.
Keeping the public informed
Residents can check upcoming works at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/roadworks or on our social media channels.
Staying informed helps people prepare, reduces frustration and helps people know what to expect.
We recognise the impact that roadworks have on everyone using our roads, but we are working to reduce disruption. And we will hold companies to account when standards fall short.
