Council allocates £2m for pothole works across Peterborough
Nearly £2m is to be spent on pothole prevention as part of highways improvement works, a local authority said.Peterborough City Council's cabinet approved the allocation of £7.6m of works to its highways partner Milestone Infrastructure Limited.It is proposed that the funding, made up of two Department for Transport grants, is distributed across five projects and will see upgrades to roads, footpaths, street lighting, bridges, cycle routes, pavements and bus stops.Adrian Chapman, the council's executive director for place and economy, said the authority was still in a "better position than others across the country", in terms of pothole concerns.
Labour's Mohammed Jamil, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, told this week's cabinet meeting that he often received complaints from residents about "unsightly" materials used to fill in potholes and resurface roads.Mr Chapman said: "We work with Milestone all the time on new technologies and we've trialled several things over the last couple of years to look at how we might deliver pothole repairs in different ways, using different forms of machinery that cause less disruption but create a permanent repair."Watch this space. Technology is changing all the time. "By comparison to many other councils, I know one pothole is one pothole too many, but we are generally in a much better position than many councils across the country."
'Significant' contract
Mr Jamil also asked how the council would guarantee the contractor was "not just taking us for a ride".Mr Chapman said: "We're very alive to this. The value of this contract is significant and the work that Milestone deliver for the city is crucial to keep the city moving and keep road users and pedestrians safe."We review performance across a range of indicators including financial performance to make sure that value is being driven through the contract."For the projects where we have secured additional funding, and therefore there is no obligation for us to commission Milestone to deliver those projects, we have started to test the market to make sure that what we are getting back from Milestone is competitive."Last year, it was reported that there were around 2,150 outstanding road defects across Cambridgeshire.Peterborough City Council did not provide figures, but it noted it had been ranked third-best performing highways authority in the National Highways and Transport survey.
Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
11 hours ago
- The National
Scottish Greens probe bullying complaint against MSP Maggie Chapman
Documents shared with this paper allege that the MSP contacted the place of work of Green activist Guy Ingerson in October 2024 to suggest that he 'was untrustworthy and should be 'watched''. Ingerson is named as the complainer in the documents, which the Sunday National understands were brought before the Greens' Conducts and Complaints Committee last week. The complaint reads: 'On October 15, 2024, I was informed by my line manager that Ms Chapman had raised concerns to my place of employment, [redacted]. This involved speaking with a board member of the organisation and insinuating that I was untrustworthy and should be 'watched'. Green activist Guy Ingerson is named as the complainer in documents obtained by the Sunday National (Image: Archive) 'The full details of this incident can be provided to the CCC upon request. A contact has been provided. I am currently in my probation period with my new employer, and this could have resulted in my termination. 'This act shows an escalation of the malicious behaviour described previously and is a serious breach of the Code of Conduct.' The document makes reference to a separate complaint put in by Chapman against Ingerson, which the Sunday National understands was ultimately dismissed. It states: 'There was also an instruction to take pictures etc of Ms Chapman at any event in which we are both in attendance, regardless of the capacity I may be there in. 'As well as being a highly inappropriate attempt to force me to work for the party outside of party-related events, this unreasonable expectation formed part of the complaint Ms Chapman had made against me.' Other allegations in the complaint relate to disagreements around social media output or internal party processes about motions to be heard at conference. Green co-leader and MSP Patrick Harvie and MSP Mark Ruskell are both named as witnesses in the documents. READ MORE: Campaign against Flamingo Land reaches milestone with 50,000 letters sent to minister Ingerson was second on the Greens' North East Scotland regional list in the 2021 Holyrood elections, and is believed to be bidding to take the top spot from Chapman for the 2026 vote. One source who has worked with both dismissed the idea that the latest bullying complaint was simply part of a selection battle between the two, saying: 'I have seen tit-for-tat selection battles and this isn't one.' They said that while they have seen 'malicious complaints about [Chapman] in the past', they believed this was 'legitimate'. Both Ingerson and Chapman declined to comment in detail on the complaint. Chapman said: 'I cannot comment on anything that has been raised with the Conduct and Complaints Committee to review as this is an internal party process that is dealt with in private, and that must be respected.' And Ingerson said: 'I won't comment on internal party processes, but I will make the general point that bullying is unacceptable in any political party and in any workplace.' A party spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: 'The Scottish Greens have a robust complaints procedure and a Code of Conduct for all members. 'Any complaints raised are reviewed by our Conduct and Complaints Committee privately. We do not comment on any complaints.'
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Severn Bridge: Welsh Conservatives concern over 'bottleneck'
National Highways recently announced that from May 27, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) would only be permitted to use the bridge only if they weigh 7.5 tonnes or less. The weight restriction, expected to remain in place for 12 to 18 months, follows safety inspections revealing deterioration in the bridge's main cables. HGVs exceeding the weight limit will be redirected to the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge. This decision has sparked concern among Welsh Conservatives, who fear a detrimental effect on the economy. They are worried about the economic and logistical consequences for businesses, commuters, and local communities across Wales. Sam Rowlands, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, said: "The Welsh economy is heavily reliant on the two Severn bridges, and this decision will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the Welsh economy. "Businesses, hauliers, and commuters will all bear the brunt of increased congestion, particularly on the Prince of Wales Bridge, which is already struggling due to ongoing roadworks." Mr Rowlands also criticised the Welsh Labour Government for scrapping the M4 relief road, suggesting that this decision has left motorists and businesses without "a crucial solution to manage growing traffic demands." The weight restrictions and subsequent redirection of traffic are expected to cause significant traffic issues, as drivers are forced to find alternative routes or face queues on the M4. These issues are predicted to cause knock-on effects for Newport's Brynglas pinch point and older roads through villages like Magor and Undy. The restrictions are deemed a major setback for all road users and will raise traffic concerns from Chepstow through to Newport and beyond. Hauliers are expected to use both the Prince of Wales Bridge and long detours around Gloucester, when the M4 at Newport becomes a major problem. However, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, has reassured the public that efforts are being made to reduce the impact of the restrictions. He said: "We will be working closely with National Highways and are determined to minimise travel disruption to the public and businesses whilst the weight limit is in place." The Welsh Conservatives' comments highlight the ongoing struggle to balance infrastructure safety with the need for efficient traffic flow and economic stability. The impact of these restrictions will likely be felt keenly by businesses and commuters in the region over the coming months.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Birmingham bin dispute could run until December after vote for more strikes
The bin strike in Birmingham could last until December after nearly 400 workers voted to continue industrial action. Unite, the trade union representing the striking workers, said 97% of workers voted in favour of further strike action in its latest ballot on a 75% turnout. Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: 'Unite will not allow these workers to be financially ruined. The strikes will continue for as long as it takes. Unite calls on the decision makers to let common sense prevail in upcoming negotiations.' Bin workers in Birmingham have been striking since January and walked out indefinitely in March in a dispute over job and pay cuts. Piles of black bags in the streets and overflowing wheelie bins have led to an influx of rats in some parts of the city. Huge queues have formed at mobile waste collection points as residents try to get rid of their rubbish. Police were called to shut down roads because of overwhelming crowds on one occasion. The city council made a renewed offer to the workers last week after mediated negotiations, but Unite said it was too little and too late. 'After smearing these workers in public since January and telling them to accept a fair and reasonable offer that never existed, the council finally put a proposal in writing last week,' Graham said. 'True to form, the proposal came weeks late and was not in line with the ballpark offer discussed during Acas talks in May.' She said government commissioners brought in to oversee the running of the council after it declared itself effectively bankrupt in 2023 had 'watered down the deal' despite not taking part in negotiations. Relations between striking workers and the council have continued to deteriorate, and in recent weeks the council was granted a court order to stop waste vehicles being blocked from leaving depots by those on the picket line. It said more than 12,000 tonnes of uncollected waste had accumulated on the streets one week in May because collections were disrupted 'due to industrial action by pickets' where police had scaled down their presence. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Unite has insisted the actions of its members have always been lawful and peaceful. The union says 170 workers face losing up to £8,000 a year under the council's current proposals, but the council has disputed this, insisting only 17 people could lose a maximum of £6,000 and that all have been offered alternative roles on the same pay grade. A council spokesperson said: 'This is a service that needs to be transformed to one that citizens of Birmingham deserve and the council remains committed to resolving this dispute. 'We have made a fair and reasonable offer that we have asked Unite to put to their members and we are awaiting their response.' The council denied that its leader or the commissioners had watered down any offer, and said Unite's ballot was not a response to its latest offer made through Acas.
