LCRIG Content Director Alec Peachey is conducting a series of interviews with highways professionals from councils to shine a light on some of the challenges facing local highway authorities. This week, Dwayne Lowe, Head of Highways and Network Operations at Blackburn with Darwen Council, praises the work of his team in overcoming challenges brought about by Covid-19 and reflects on what the authority is doing to tackle climate change.
Q. What is the scale of the network that your authority is responsible for?
A. 580km.
Q. What are the biggest challenges facing you as a local authority?
A. “The biggest issues are by far lack of funding and managing our maintenance backlog. Whilst we have been fortunate through Growth Deal and Northern Powerhouse Investment Funding (NPIF) over recent years, enabling town centre regeneration and the building of new roads, other financial pressures across the authority have resulted in a reduced revenue budget that is constantly under pressure. In contrast to this I have to manage the deterioration of all our highway assets pitched against political and resident expectations.”
Q. How has your highways team adapted to the challenges brought about by Covid-19?
A. “I have been hugely proud of our response to the challenges of the pandemic. We responded very quickly and the service not only sustained business as usual but delivered an accelerated capital programme and Town Centre Public Realm scheme. Highways have also been integral to the roll out of our testing sites and the establishment of our vaccination centres. As a service we are trusted to overcome challenges, realise solutions and deliver within challenging timeframes and I and colleagues quickly became core members of the council’s various Covid response teams.”
Q. How much importance is put on innovation within your authority and in what ways can it enable change?
A. “Innovation is hugely important to us, especially where cost savings or income can be realised. Over recent months we have constructed innovative zebra crossings, trialling UV lighting and new products, and constructed two new weather stations, which are powered through the Rennicks Off Grid, solar and wind powered post. When I redrafted our business plan I expanded the service aims to include “Deliver innovation and futureproof our assets” and actively promote innovation within the service. It’s important to both look ahead and reflect and last week we launched the three month data challenge, where we stop and reflect on the data we have and develop solutions to better utilise, enabling service efficiencies and improvements.”
Q. In what ways do you collaborate with other authorities and the supply chain?
A. “We work very closely with neighbouring authorities and those across the north of England as active members of LCRIG, ADEPT and APSE. Benchmarking and the sharing of innovation and efficiencies is beneficial to all and I learn so much from participating and working with colleagues. We work very closely with our local supply chain, developing new systems and products and actively trial, sharing learning. Also opportunities to engage with neighbouring authorities frameworks, including LCRIG’s Project Amber framework, demonstrate significant savings and collaboration.”
Q. How important is the subject of the environment and what are you doing as an authority in this area?
A. “Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has declared a climate emergency and are presently working on publishing our strategy. Lowering carbon emissions is central to us as a service and we have worked hard over the last 12 months to understand our carbon footprint and to deliver a ‘carbon aware’ capital programme, considering the footprint of all our works. Recent examples are of course the installation of the off grid power solutions, replacement of vans with electric and sourcing lower carbon products.”
Q. In terms of funding for roads, what works well and what needs to be improved?
A. “A long term funding settlement would enable us to better plan our maintenance backlog, manage our assets and be clear on future years programmes. This would be hugely beneficial in managing our councillors and residents expectations, providing more certainty of our forward programme and enabling robust financial management of the authority’s revenue budget.”
Q. How important is the role of LCRIG in driving change within the sector?
A. “Being part of the LCRIG community has been hugely beneficial and I am very grateful to all colleagues but especially Will and Susanne for their support. LCRIG’s strength is in its members and all get more out than they put in. As a small authority being part of an organisation with a combined voice and the ear of DfT and influencers is hugely beneficial to all in the sector, local authorities and partnering organisations alike.”