(Title Image: Eastern Daily Press)
After more than two years, the final recommendations of a special task force set up to investigate unadopted roads have been published (pdf).
The work was triggered following a backbench members debate in the Senedd held in February 2018 (It’s a real war right outside your front door).
The debate was held following growing criticism of developers not laying roads to the minimum standards required for local authorities to “adopt” them (take on responsibility for upkeep). Other classes of unadopted roads include back alleys, privately-owned and managed roads, farm tracks and other minor roads.
The report recommends that local authorities identify unadopted roads in most need of bringing up to the required standard and also to estimate the costs.
The report also recommends a pilot funding programme to address local unadopted road priorities and the proper monitoring of whether who’ve signed up to a good practice guide are sticking to it.
It’s been estimated the cost of bringing all unadopted roads in Wales serving five or more properties up to the minimum standard would be £1.56billion (based on a price of £600-per-metre).
