The Highways Cabinet Panel of Hertfordshire County Council met on Friday 14 November 2025 to discuss a range of highway-related issues. Key decisions included noting the council's response to concerns about utility works on the highway and agreeing to continue exploring options for the Highways Locality Budget. The panel also received updates on ongoing trials for pothole repairs and various other highway initiatives.

Utility Works on the Highway

The panel discussed a motion raised by Councillor Matt Cowley and seconded by Councillor Vishal Patel concerning the disruption caused by utility works on Hertfordshire's roads. The motion highlighted issues such as poorly planned works, unattended traffic signals, substandard repairs leading to potholes, and the inadequacy of current fines for non-compliance.

In response, Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst OBE, Executive Member for Highways, had written to the Secretary of State for Transport, requesting confirmation of planned increases to fines and urging a broader review of legislation to allow local authorities to levy fines for unresolved defects and poor repairs. The council also plans to meet with major utility companies, including Affinity Water, Cadent Gas, and UK Power Networks, to formalise collaboration through a joint protocol and partnership. The panel noted these actions and the letter sent to the Secretary of State, as well as the planned meetings with utility companies.

Highways Locality Budget

A motion proposed by Councillor Alistair Willoughby and seconded by Councillor Ian Albert regarding the Highways Locality Budget (HLB) was considered. The motion highlighted that the HLB has remained fixed at £90,000 per county councillor since 2010/11, while inflation has significantly increased the cost of delivering highway works. This has led to a real-terms shortfall, limiting the scope and responsiveness of member-led projects. The motion proposed recommendations for officers to consider uplifting the budget, exploring an indexation mechanism, reviewing the timing and process of the HLB system for greater flexibility, and improving communications about the fund's role.

The panel noted that the council faces significant financial pressures due to the anticipated impact of the Fair Funding Review, making an inflationary uplift or indexation unlikely in the 2025/26 budget-setting process. However, a review of the HLB system's timing and process is underway and will be reported to a future meeting. The council's Corporate Communications team will also explore ways to enhance the promotion of HLB schemes.

Pothole Repair Trial

An update was provided on the trial of the 'One Visit, More Impact' approach to fixing adjacent potholes. The trial aims to find more cost-effective ways to repair potholes and prevent further issues on the same road. Two further phases of the trial were conducted in September and October 2025. While the initial results of the road mender technique were positive in terms of durability, it was found to be expensive. The road master technique was quicker and cheaper but had mixed results with some early failures. A third phase of the road mender trial is planned. The panel was assured that a full report with detailed findings would be presented at a future meeting.

General Update on Highway Initiatives

The panel received a verbal update on various highway initiatives, including:

• Winter Service: The winter service operation had begun on 1 October, with the first gritting runs anticipated for the following week. The self-help scheme for salt bins had seen a lower uptake this year, with 125 orders processed compared to an average of 250 in previous years. This reduction was attributed to milder winters. A targeted approach to cleaning 520 identified gullies across 80 roads known for blockages and flooding was also underway.
• Green Infrastructure: A trial focusing on cutting back vegetation around schools and high-priority routes to improve pedestrian and cycle access was being implemented. Fourteen initial sites around schools have been identified for vegetation clearance, with a further list of top 20 high-priority routes ranked. The council is committed to a hard cutback approach to ensure longer-lasting results. Discussions also covered the challenges of third-party vegetation, private land issues, and the council's policy on tree removal and replacement.
• Pedestrian Guardrails: A trial of a district-based approach to replacing damaged pedestrian guardrails has commenced in the west of the county, operating out of the King's Langley Depot. This aims to replace damaged guardrails more efficiently and cost-effectively, improving the overall appearance and service provided to residents. The trial will cover Watford, Decorum, and Free Rivers initially, followed by other districts.
• Highways Customer Service Statistics: An overview was provided of the significant volume of customer interactions with the highways service. Last year, approximately 155,000 individual cases were processed, including emails, telephone inquiries, fault reports, and applications for licenses. Efforts are underway to improve the efficiency and relevance of responses, including a planned migration to Microsoft Dynamics for the customer records management system.

The panel noted the verbal updates on these initiatives.