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Transport Asset Management Plans
The Metropolitan Authorities are working towards an agreed Transport Asset Management Plan (TAMP). The drivers for using Asset Management, in addition to LTP2 Guidance, are:- ‘Whole of Government Accounts’, which require authorities to value their transport assets in order to assess replacement costs and depreciation rates
- ‘The Prudential Code’, which allows authorities to choose between revenue and capital intensive options for service delivery. The code also requires consideration of asset management planning when making capital investment decisions
There are two strands to the development of the TAMP. The first strand will be a Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP), developed by the District Maintenance Engineers Group (DMEG). The group has a long history of joint working. The second strand, being prepared in parallel by Centro, is an Asset Management Plan for public transport assets such as bus stations, Park & Ride facilities and bus shelters. The Authorities will consider other transport assets such as multi-storey car parks before producing a final Transport Asset Management Plan.
Asset management is a strategic approach that optimises the allocation of resources for the management, operation, preservation and enhancement of the highway infrastructure. The process is systematic and takes a long-term view, considering whole-life costing, balancing competing demands and taking account of customer expectations. This approach is essential in order to make effective use of limited financial resources.
Coventry City has begun to develop a highways asset management plan (HAMP) as a pilot for the West Midlands. This follows publication of the County Surveyors’ Society (CSS) Framework for Highway Asset Management in June 2004. Officers from Coventry have held detailed discussions with the better-performing authorities to examine their processes. They have also held discussions with a selection of consulting engineers to determine the expertise available in the market. Coventry has selected a firm with more than 10 years’ direct experience in asset management development. This firm was also an advisor to the CSS and to Hertfordshire County Council, which is the leading highway authority for asset management.
A complete review of asset management data was commissioned at the beginning of October 2004. It is following a phased programme in line with the Asset Management Framework guidance. The review, or gap analysis, will identify shortfalls in the data sets and data which are unavailable but essential to the HAMP. Following the review, a specification will be developed which identifies the format for the supply, storage and retrieval of data. The specification will require inventory, condition and network data with cost estimates.
Proposal for other West Midlands Authorities
There is much to be gained by ensuring that the asset management process is undertaken in a manner which is relevant to individual highway authorities and has maximum consistency across the Metropolitan area. Coventry is taking a pragmatic approach to an initiative that affects all Authorities. The City is learning lessons that can be applied by other authorities individually.
All the Authorities are now preparing for asset management plans. There is an opportunity for data to be assessed, collected and processed to a common standard, without prejudicing a councils desire to ensure that service standards are appropriate to local circumstances. Each council will need to consider linking Asset Management systems to its own IT systems including customer and geographical systems. Authorities are at differing stages of collecting inventory data collection, and may need different data to suit individual circumstances. An early gap analysis is therefore essential.
The DMEG has commissioned Coventry’s consultants to facilitate six joint regional workshops in 2005/06, which will consider how to formulate consistent HAMPs across the conurbation.
Some Authorities, including Solihull and Wolverhampton, have followed Coventrys lead and commissioned the same consultants to hold separate workshops. They want to tailor their own HAMPs, and carry out a gap analysis which identifies both data shortfalls and data which are unavailable but essential to their HAMPs.
The Coventry model also provides for the setting of service levels. This aspect of asset management planning enables highway authorities to determine the level of service which best fits their environment and provides for political and stakeholder input. Coventry’s work is scheduled to be completed in August 2005.
Coventry Pilot Asset Management Review
Phase 1 – has seen a review by leading consultants which has investigated the state of development of asset management at Coventry City Council. The review has ensured that future activities will be deliver maximum benefits. The consultants’ report outlines how current practices align with asset management and where the greatest opportunities for improvement exist. This work took about four weeks.
Phase 2 – sees the consultants undertaking a ‘task based programme’ to produce a Highways Asset Management Plan (HAMP). The programme examines the state of development of asset management within Coventry in order to structure a plan to produce a HAMP.
Phase 3 – will lead to production of the HAMP as a reference guide for asset management practice and improvement. This will take about six months. Following the review, a specification will be developed which identifies the format for the supply, storage and retrieval of data. The specification will require inventory, condition and network data with cost estimates.
Phase 4 – inventory data capture. This would require significant funding. It is proposed that this work is undertaken in 2006/07, involving inventory data collection which could be tendered across the West Midlands.