Local councillors have seized on figures from Herts County Council, showing spending on road and pavement maintenance and improvements have reduced every year over the past four years.

Spending on highways has plummeted from £39.2 million in 2013-14 to £30.1 million this year. This is despite inflation meaning that less can be done for the same amount of money, and the ever-deteriorating state of local roads and pavements.

Cllr Malcolm Cowan, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at County Hall said, “The Conservatives are continually telling residents that spending on roads is going up. These figures, provided by independent and council officers, show that in fact this vital spending has fallen every year for four years.

“The council are forecasting an increase next year. However they did exactly the same this time last year and instead we have seen another fall.

“No wonder local residents are complaining more and more about potholed roads and trip hazards on pavements”.

I am writing to notify you of the forthcoming Highways Maintenance works due to take place on Sandpit Lane, St Albans.

The first part of this scheme is on-going under traffic signals, however, the works requiring road closures will take place on Monday 13^th February and are programmed to take approximately 5 Days to complete.  Given the likelihood of danger to the public whilst the works are being undertaken, it will be necessary to close Sandpit Lane.

The works have been carefully phased and will be split into two separate closures, given the location of each site along Sandpit Lane:

Closure 1: Road Closure of Sandpit Lane between Jct. Marshalswick Lane Jct. House Lane: 9:30am – 4pm to carry out Drainage Investigation, Verge / Tree Works.

Closure 2: Road closure of Sandpit Lane between Jct. B651 Sandridge Road Jct. Marshalswick Lane: 8:00pm – 5:00am to carry out Carriageway Surfacing, drainage and Road Marking works.

Message from the County Council

I am writing to notify you of the forthcoming Highways Maintenance works due to take place on B691 Victoria Street, St Albans.

Due to the sudden deterioration of the carriageway surface nearby the Station, it has been decided that these works will need to be completed as soon as possible, to prevent failure of the carriageway besides major disruption to the local area and road users alike.

In addition to this, there have been longstanding issues concerning the signal timings in this area, resulting in significant delays on a regular basis.  In view of that, the Traffic Loops in this area must be reinstalled to improve its performance and will be carried out under the road closure to avoid further disruption at a later date.

The works are due to commence on Monday 13^th February and are programmed to take approximately 5 Days to complete.  Given the likelihood of danger to the public whilst the works are being undertaken, it will be necessary to close Victoria Street between the junctions of Marlborough Road / Upper Marlborough Road and Station Way.

There is likely to be congestion in the area whilst the road closure is in place, however,  the works have been carefully phased and sequenced to mitigate delays.  Activities will take place between 09:30 – 15:30  and the highway will be clear at all other times.

Colas Ltd, are programmed to carry out ironwork adjustments and road marking replacement on the following sites in your constituency on the dates stated:

• Lower Paxton, St. Albans – 24^th October
• Paxton Road, St. Albans – 24^th October

Attached are the Works Information Leaflets which will be posted to the residents of each street, in addition to the distribution maps highlighting which residents will receive these leaflets.

The process is weather dependant which can result in delays. Any changes to the programmed date will be updated on the onsite ‘yellow boards’ and any postponed sites will be marked as such.

In what Liberal Democrat Councillors are labelling as a mean-spirited move the Conservative-run County Council has vetoed a move to allow all schools in Hertfordshire to ask for gritting salt to help keep school routes and schools open.

Only those schools more than 100 metres from a County Council designated salt gritting route can apply for free salt from the Council.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst proposed at Monday’s Highways Panel at County Hall that all schools, irrespective of their location, should be able to  get the salt to help them. His plan, backed by Labour, was voted down by the Conservatives.

“This is mean spirited and means a two tier system. Many urban schools in town centres are within 100 metres of a gritting route but the roads and pavements next to schools are not part of that because they are on a side road. This creates a hazard for children so even if the school and parents wanted to help out they would have to find the
salt and grit themselves. That is wrong!” said Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst.

“This is frankly a disgrace especially as the Council has a massive stock and has even been offered free of charge a large amount from Tesco who have an over supply! I am demanding they rethink this refusal. I cannot see any justification for refusing requests from schools for salt to grit the pavements,” Stephen concluded.

I am writing to notify you of the forthcoming Carriageway resurfacing works along the A1057 Hatfield Road, St Albans.  The works will be carried out throughout the length of the roundabout at the junction with Oaklands Lane.

The works will be completed using a full Road Closure on Wednesday 27^th July and will take approximately 1 night to complete between 8pm – 5am.  

A soft closure will be implemented on both Oaklands Lane and Smallford Lane to allow access for residents/businesses whilst the signed diversion route will send traffic via A1001 Comet Way /A414 North Orbital Road / A1081 London Road / Drakes Drive / Ashley Road / A1057 Hatfield Road and vice a versa.

The Variable Message Signs (VMS) will be deployed in the local and surrounding area to warn motorists travelling through this area.

We have just received this note from the County Council’s contractor:

It is with great regret that I have to inform you that the following sites have been postponed;

• Lower Paxton Road, St Albans
• Paxton Road, St Albans
• Edward Close, St Albans

This is unfortunately due to the continued delays with Machine malfunctions. We are trying our utmost best to complete these sites within a timely matter and apologise greatly for the delay. This will be reprogrammed as availability allows and you will be informed accordingly. All relevant residents will be made aware via updated yellow boards located at the end of the programmed road.

Please accept my sincerest apologies for the inconvenience this may cause you and your constituents. If I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Herts CC’s contractor plans works as follows this month:

• Lower Paxton, St. Albans – 24^th May
• Paxton Road, St. Albans – 27^th May
• Edward Close, St. Albans – 27^th May

The Conservatives running Herts County Council pushed through a cut of over 11% from the local highways budget of £90,000. This £90,000 was allocated to County Councillors  to get local roads and pavements resurfaced that the County would not otherwise do. It’s now been cut.

The cut was voted through at a County Cabinet meeting on Monday, at which no opposition members are allowed to speak. No mention was made of this cut in this year’s C ounty Council budget that the Conservatives voted through.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Stephen Giles-Medhurst said: ‘The Lib Dem Team believes that local County Councillors should be given a greater say in what is done locally and the resources to get local roads and footways resurfaced not less.

‘The biggest issue coming up on the doorsteps in the current election is the state of our roads and pavements – the vote on Monday is the Conservatives’ answer to residents’ concerns. No doubt residents will take note.’