Proposed Solutions

Introduction

The following paragraphs outline a solution that TRAC members feel will not only benefit the affected streets and their residents but will also benefit the community/city as a whole. In view of both the length of time many unadopted roads have existed (almost 100yrs.) and the financial contribution the residents have made to the rest of the community via taxation, TRAC members also feel that this solution is justified.

What TRAC members are proposing, in order to eliminate unadopted roads and thus rid the city of one of its negative images, is a road adoption/environmental improvement programme! The basic aims of the programme would be to:

1. provide drainage
2. provide/improve street lighting
3. provide parking facilities
4. improve access for disabled people
5. remove overhead power lines
6. improve the visual appearance of affected streets
7. provide environmental improvements

1. annual council budget
2. council/central government funding
3. the £60m ‘windfall’

What are the advantages of such a programme?
Tackling the problem of unadopted roads via a rolling programme of quality improvements will in the long term be more economical than allowing the ‘impasse’ over responsibility and funding to continue, which will result in further deterioration of the city’s housing stock. Such a programme will also be more economical than an infrequent piecemeal approach that only carries out improvement work on the odd street now and again. A city wide project such as this could also help to secure funding from other sources, e.g. central government, Europe or even private industry. The city council must however show that it is committed to the programme by investing time and money at the initial stages. The city council should therefore:

1. undertake a survey to determine the number and the location of unadopted roads
2. initiate meetings with TRAC representatives
3. carry out a survey of residents ideas/wishes
4. produce acceptable designs
5. remove overhead power lines
6. produce an estimate of the costs
7. produce a schedule of work

Individual Schemes
Although the aim of the programme is to provide unadopted roads with the basic infrastructure of drainage, street lighting and a hard road surface it would be regretful if the same bland scheme was applied to all affected streets throughout the city. Therefore TRAC members are of the opinion that every unadopted road should be looked at separately and treated individually, in order to achieve the greatest potential for each street.

Presently the majority of unadopted roads look very similar and they all require the provision of the same basic infrastructure stated above. However a road adoption/environmental improvement programme is an opportunity to create variety, individuality and even attractiveness to what are basically dull terraced streets (architecturally speaking). Every unadopted road has the potential to look different to others or to offer its residents different facilities or to offer the same facilities in a different way. What TRAC is saying, is that every unadopted road should have its own improvement scheme, based upon the engineering requirements of its location, the wishes of its residents and the experience of the designers. Some streets may require only minimal improvement work, such as the installation of drains, street lighting, an asphalt road surface and superficial landscaping. Other streets on the other hand may benefit considerably from more comprehensive and imaginative schemes. What is required is vision, the vision to turn the neglected conditions of today, something we should be ashamed of, into pleasant and attractive streets, something we can be proud of.

For example, there are within the community and conservation area of Newbottle several unadopted roads, almost in the heart of the village. At present these streets are bleak looking, with filthy and unpleasant conditions - a real eyesore. However, with a little imagination, a little vision these streets could be so different: cobbled courtyard perhaps, ornate ironwork, trees etc. - a real asset. With the wide choice of materials available today the opportunity exists not only to upgrade unadopted roads to a modern standard, but also to make a major impact on the visual appearance of such streets. For instance, many unadopted roads are cul-de-sacs and therefore do not have to cope with ‘through traffic’. As such, they tend only used by the residents and their visitors and the speed of traffic tends to be low. Such roads could therefore be made more attractive by using alternative materials to asphalt/Tarmac for road surfacing, such as gravel or block paving or some other material. These alternative road surfaces together with say wrought ironwork, planting schemes, trees etc. would go a long way to ‘softening’ what are at present stark looking streets. Given the variety of materials available here is no reason why the provision of basic facilities and environmental improvements should not be provided by a variety of attractive imaginative schemes. Do car-parking spaces for example, need to be provided on the unadopted road itself, or could such facilities be provided on some adjacent land, thus leaving the road available for other purposes? Do car-parking spaces have to consist of a standard asphalt surface or could a street look more pleasing if such spaces were provided by ‘marked bays’, constructed from contrasting materials?

In today’s world of computer aided design/draughting (CAD) a variety of ‘options’ can be quickly and accurately drawn for each unadopted road. Residents and councillors could then ‘experience’ these very realistic ‘makeovers’ before a spade needs to disturb the ground. From these various computer models the residents of each street could then decide upon their ‘preferred’ option.

Consultation
To help ensure that residents of unadopted roads get the improvements and facilities they prefer, TRAC members feel that consultation should take place between residents and the city council (or those persons responsible) regarding the improvement programme. Consultation is an opportunity for the residents to ‘have their say’ and to exchange ideas on what improvements/facilities are required. Consultation is also an opportunity to improve public relations. Decisions made jointly, between elected councillors and ordinary members of the community also improves the democratic process.

As part of the consultation process TRAC members suggest a committee should be formed to oversee the programme from its inception to its completion. This committee would consult with the residents of each street throughout the improvement programme, from obtaining their initial views on what they would like in the way of improvements, through to the choice of the actual scheme. This committee would also be available for residents to voice any suggestions/complaints that arise during the actual improvement work.

Time Factors/Costs
After sensible discussion TRAC members feel that a road adoption/environmental improvement programme covering a ten-year period is reasonable and achievable both in terms of financing and scheduling. The commencement of this programme to take place at the earliest possible date, in any case no later than January 2003.

According to a council spokesman (Echo, Wed., 12th Oct.) the total cost of adopting the cities unadopted roads would be £23m. From a financial point of view a ten-year programme would thus represent an annual expenditure of £2.3m. This equates to an increase of less than 1% in the cities annual budget of £250m, as stated by Councillor F. Anderson at the public meeting held on Wed., Oct 17th. TRAC members feel that this is an acceptable increase. Should the council feel that such an increase should not be placed upon council-tax payers, including the residents of unadopted roads, then TRAC members suggest funding a road adoption programme from the £60m ‘windfall’ (received from the sale of assets in Newcastle airport and the transfer of housing stock). Financing the adoption programme in this way would be quite acceptable, reference the extract below, which was taken from the House of Commons Hansard Debate for the 3rd Nov. 1997:

“Local authorities have a general discretion to bear part or all of the cost of the scheme themselves. Local authorities have the power to use all or a proportion of their capital receipts from the sale of assets (25% in the case of council houses, 50% in the case of other receipts) on capital expenditure of any kind in any one year”

In terms of work scheduling, with approximately 250-260 affected streets within the city (Echo report Fri., 14th Oct.) a ten-year programme would require on average one street to be completed every two weeks. Again TRAC members feel that this is not an unreasonable expectation.

Conclusions
Whilst a road adoption/environmental improvement programme will cost many millions of pounds, there are a wide range of benefits to be gained for both the residents of unadopted roads and for the community/city as a whole. These include social, environmental and economic benefits. Basically the residents of unadopted roads will enjoy a better quality of life as a result of improvement work, whilst the community/city would see an overall improvement in its image and investment appeal.

From the residents point of view, a programme of works to make-up, landscape and adopt the city’s unadopted roads would have the following specific effects/benefits:

1. improve the appearance of their streets and surroundings
2. improve the saleability of houses
3. reduce the deterioration of houses, furnishings and decor
4. reduce the deterioration of cars
5. reduce the amount of maintenance required on houses/cars
6. reduce the risk of localised flooding

1. improved image of individual areas and the city in general
2. expansion of the lower value property market
3. stimulation of the local economy
4. employment/training opportunities
5. reduced public health risks/incidents of vermin
6. reduced risks to public safety
7. reduced risk of localised flooding
8. improved public relations between elected representatives and residents
9. improved image/standing of elected representatives

Recommendations
In summing up our proposed solution to the problem of unadopted roads within the city of Sunderland, TRAC and its members recommend that Sunderland City Council should:

1. introduce a road adoption/environmental improvement programme spanning 10yrs
2. form a joint committee to oversee the improvement work
3. publish details of the intended improvements/work schedule
4. consider and plan each street on an individual basis
5. provide funding for the programme

1. undertake road improvement work themselves
2. employ others to undertake road improvement work

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