Essex County Council maintains a vast network of roads, over 5,000 miles in total length, together with a footway network of 4,000 miles (including footways shared with cycleways), and 4,000 miles of public rights of way. In addition there are over 1,500 highway structures and 127,000 street lighting columns, and other asset groups such as highway drainage, vehicle restraint systems, traffic signals and traffic signs. Essex County Council recognises the vital role that its highway network plays in the lives of residents, as well as the travelling public and local businesses. Effective asset management of the highway network and its infrastructure is fundamental in supporting the Council’s Vision of Essex being a county where innovation brings prosperity, and in contributing to the Council’s Corporate Outcomes. This represents a significant maintenance commitment and requires a robust approach to asset management. The Asset Management Policy and Strategy is at the heart of highways investment planning, budget setting and delivery of the Highways and Transportation service, and is described in the two documents above.
