Purpose

A report to Capital board was approved on 27th July 2024 for funding to be allocated to the Burnley Road (Laund) project to allow that project to continue to completion.

The funding was from projects within the existing Bridges Maintenance approved capital programme consisting of an amount from the 22/23 unallocated budget and cancellation of two projects for repairs to Larkhill Lane footbridge that cannot be delivered due to issues with adjacent properties.

The approved amounts are as follows:

12772 22/23 9661 Lark Hill Lane  £100,637.70

11634 21/22 Lark Hill Lane  £107,387.00

15404 Unallocated bridges maintenance 23/24  £68,964.38

The total approved allocation is £276,989.08.

The revised budget for the 13936 22/23 Burnley Road (Laund) project is £598,892.59.

In November 2022 the "Burnley Road Laund" Highway retaining wall supporting the A682 between Rawtenstall and Burnley collapsed into the adjacent river.

The A682 is part of the resilient route network and classified as a 3a priority main distributor road.

In early 2023 a project was established to enable temporary measures to be installed to prevent further collapse, protect public safety, safeguard essential utilities, and allow the road to remain open.

The site is currently barriered off with, no footway provision and an open excavation to the river. It is in a safe condition but is vulnerable to further damage if water levels increase. The status of the route, the risk of disruption to infrastructure and the vulnerability of the site mean that this is the highest priority site currently in the bridges programme.

Design of a project to repair the wall has been ongoing and works are now planned to commence this year to complete the reinstatement.

The anticipated cost of the proposed works has increased beyond those originally envisaged due to the proximity of major utilities and difficult ground conditions.

The current available budget is £150,630.98 and additional funding is required to allow the works to commence.

The project was established within the 20/21 DfT retaining wall programme. The retaining wall programme covered to works to a number of retaining walls in East Lancashire identified as requiring varying priorities of maintenance. An initial budget was established by moving funding from projects that were either completed or could sustain a reduction in scope. One project was cancelled on the basis that it was a lower priority and could be funded from a future allocation within the bridges maintenance capital programme.

Decision

Ridwan Musa, Head of Service Highway Operations and Design, took a decision to approve the reallocation of funds to deliver the Burnley Road (Laund) Retaining wall repair project.