Committee approves prioritised roads capital programme for Caithness

Members of the Caithness Committee today (Monday 20 January 2025) agreed a list of prioritised programme of works for structural overlay/inlay works and surface dressing schemes which will be funded out of the Capital Budget allocation for 2025/26.

In March 2024, Members agreed the Roads Capital Budget Allocation for 2025/26 as part of a 3-year investment into Roads. For 2025/26 a total investment of £21.15m has been agreed, £ to be distributed in the same way as last year with a strategic allocation and a base capital allocation.

The allocation for Caithness is set at a similar level as last year and totals £3,162,594, £50,000 of which is allocated for structures.

Caithness Committee Chair, Cllr Ron Gunn said: “We know that we don’t have all the funding we need to do everything we want, but by agreeing the capital roads’ priorities for the coming year not only helps us allocate funding according to priority but sets out a clear work programme for our staff.

“We will continue to do the best we can with the resources we have.”

Works for the Caithness area are identified based on a prioritised ranking.  The ranking is informed by:

• Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey (SRMCS) data;
• safety inspections;
• service inspections; and
• input and feedback from Ward Members

A list of prioritised projects approved is available here

Also on the agenda was a report on the Annual Area Roads Capital Programme 2024/25. The Area Roads Manager provided members with details of the works on the prioritised list completed to date and details of the additional works identified and prioritised throughout the year.

Councillor Gunn thanked staff who have been providing a winter service for their efforts during the recent challenging weather. He said: “On behalf of the Committee I would like to thank our roads operations teams who have been out in all hours during the recent very challenging bad weather conditions to clear the snow, ice, and debris from our roads. They have been terrific and have worked so hard to keep routes open.”