Success in Kent - A Tripartite approach

Kent has one of the largest and busiest road networks in the country. The County  Council is responsible for over 5,000 miles of roads, 4,000 miles of pavements, 2,700 bridges and hundreds of thousands of street lights, signs and road drains.  Maintenance is either planned or responsive and is based on information received from mechanical surveys of the roads, reports from highway inspectors and, of course, comments from the general public.

Street lighting is an integral element of this urban environment.  In Kent alone, there are approximately 120,000 street lights, 14,000 illuminated signs and around 5,500 illuminated bollards – and the County Council is responsible for their maintenance and upkeep.  Its maintenance programme is an example of a successful tripartite working partnership between Kent Highway Services, EDF Energy and Ringway.

Norman Bateman, Head of Technical Services at Kent explains the approach, “In order to achieve the best service possible within our budget levels has meant that our suppliers have had to look at ways to improve their street lighting service through  innovation.  Ringway has operated with an open mind and commitment to building long-term, successful relationships, not only with council staff, but also with our Distribution Network Operator, EDF Energy.  This partnership has been refreshing and is delivering on its Key Performance Indicators.”

The council has put in place a clear communication plan for the reporting of faulty lighting, from a telephone hotline to an online fault reporting form, encouraging residents to inform them quickly.  Once a fault is reported, the quicker the correct course of action can be identified and the light repaired.  The two main reasons street lights stop working are faulty equipment in the street light, such as a bulb failing or problems with the electricity supply.  The council is committed to...

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