HIGHWAY RISK AND LIABILITY MUNICIPAL GROUP SCOTLANDV4a
- 1. HIGHWAY RISK AND LIABILITY MUNICIPAL GROUP SCOTLAND Overview of Highway Risk and Liability Claims A Hard Look at Reality Ian Grierson Highways Area Team Manager Leicestershire County Council February 25th, 2011
- 2. HIGHWAY RISK AND LIABILITY CLAIMS Well Maintained Highways (Code of Practice on Highway Maintenance Management) Guide to Highway Risk and Liability Claims (November 2005 and July 2009)
- 3. UK HIGHWAYS LIABILITY JOINT TASK GROUP Institution of Civil Engineers Municipal Group (ICE) Association of Local Authority Risk Managers (ALARM) Association of British Insurers (ABI) Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) Roads Service Northern Ireland Welsh Association of Technical Officers (CSS Wales) Association of Directors of Environment Economy Planning and Transportation (ADEPT), Former County Surveyors Society (CSS) Local Authority Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Society for Chief Officers for Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS) UK Roads Board Department For Transport Scottish Executive Wales Office Roads Service Northern Ireland Local Authorities England Scotland Wales Leicestershire County Council Perth & Kinross Council Birmingham City Council Cambridgeshire County Council Caerphilly County Borough Council Kirklees Metropolitan Council
- 4. UK HIGHWAYS LIABILITY JOINT TASK GROUP REPORT Guide to Appendix C: Well Maintained Highways www.roadscodes.org www.ukroadsliaisongroup.org Second Edition July 2009 Highway Inspector Training update February 2011 Examples of successful practice Successful claims defence
- 5. BACKGROUND TO HIGHWAY CLAIMS AND RISKS Incidents on the Highway Overall Accidents on the Highway/ footways Claims Statistics Impact of Claims on Local Authorities Examples of main causes of Highway Liability claims
- 6. LAW ON HIGHWAY LIABILITY Statutory Duties Duties England and Wales Scotland & Northern Ireland Duty to maintain the highway Section 41(1) of the Highways Act in England and Wales Scotland Sections 1 and 2 of the Roads (Scotland) Act. Northern Ireland Article 8 of the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 Duty to remove snow and ice Section 111 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (This modifies Section 41 (1) (1a) of the Highways Act Scotland Section 34 Roads (Scotland Act) Northern Ireland No statutory duty to remove snow and ice Discretionary power Article 9 of Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 Duty to promote road safety Road Traffic Act 1988 Duty of care Common law Common law
- 7. LAW ON HIGHWAY LIABILITY Statutory Defence for Repair and Maintenance Section 1 Roads Scotland Act 1984 Section 58 Highways Act 1980 England & Wales Article 8 of Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 Conformity with National standards and good practice
- 8. LAW ON HIGHWAY LIABILITY Court Rulings Establish Design Principle Road User responsible for own safety Authority should avoid creating trap Authority should not act irrationally
- 9. SYSTEM FOR STATUTORY DEFENCE Robust maintenance policies and compliance Exercising reasonable duty of care on inspections Inspectors suitably trained or qualified Same system for wide range of claims Windscreens and tyres Severe injuries
- 10. SYSTEM TO MANAGE RISK Example organisational chart Assess the likely risk Decide on action Defects Potential risk identified or reported Act Record Record RecordDont Act Authority Wide Risk Management Assess causes and consequences Decide on action Records examined for patterns eg same location or type ActDont Act Claim processed Claim decided Claims Claim Received Record Record Corporate Risk Management
- 11. SYSTEM TO MANAGE RISK Robust publicly endorsed procedures Systematic inspections Formulate policies and priorities for spending Communication within Authority Liaison between claims handlers and highways Adjust Policy and Practice
- 12. NETWORK HIERARCHIES Needs, priorities, usage Importance Environment Non Vehicular factors
- 13. WELL MAINTAINED HIGHWAYS Carriageway Hierarchy 1 Motorway 2 Strategic Route 3a Main Distributor 3b Secondary Distributor 4a Link Road 4b Local Access Road Footway Hierarchy 1a Prestige Walking Zone 1 Primary Walking Routes 2 Secondary Walking Routes 3 Link Footways 4 Local Access Footways
- 14. WELL MAINTAINED HIGHWAYS INSPECTION FREQUENCIES
- 15. INSPECTION REGIMES Inspections carried out Slow moving vehicle - double manned On foot Prove system in place Identify and record defects Arrange repairs Repair in a reasonable time
- 16. CLAIMS HANDLING PROCEDURE Claims Sequence Incident Report Form Alleged cause Location Evidence Photos Witnesses Anti Fraud Joint Inspection Details of repairs APlease return this form to: Leicestershire County Council Southern Area Managers Office Coventry Road, Croft, Leicestershire LE9 3GP Tel: 01455 283341 The issue of this form or the acceptance of it when completed cannot be taken as meaning that the County Council accept any responsibility for the incident described herein, or for the consequences of such. If you are completing this form on behalf of the claimant, please note that you should both sign the declaration at the end, unless the claimant is under 18 years of age. The County Council passes information to the Claims and Underwriting Exchange Register run by Insurance Database Services Ltd (IDS Ltd) and the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register run by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The aim is to help us check information provided and also to prevent fraudulent claims. We will be passing information relating to this incident to the appropriate register(s). In dealing with your claim we may search the registers. Solicitors should pass this information on to their clients. INCIDENT REPORT Please complete all sections below in detail, in block capitals 1) Injured person or owner of property damaged. Title, initials, surname: .......................................................................................................Age: ......... Address: ....................................................................................................................................... ............. .................................................................................................................................................................... Postcode: ........................................... Telephone Number: ................................................................ Occupation: ............................................................................................................................................... 2) Particulars of Incident: Date: ...................................................................................... Time: ..................................................... State precisely how incident occurred: ..................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................ .................................................................................................................................................................... 3) The Location: Name of road and route number: ............................................................................................................... Precise location of incident: ...................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................
- 17. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING Setting a Common Standard Strengthens Court statement Link with existing training Leicestershire CC Lantra Customised Award Birmingham City TMS IMTAC Skills Centre (Barnet) City & Guilds accreditation R M Skills Centre (SCQF) Award
- 18. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING The Highway Inspector Board Training Centre Approval Highway Inspector Register Career Progression Highway Safety Inspectors Assessed Competence Core Competency Units Highly Recommended Units
- 19. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING Highway Inspector Core Competency Units Highway Law & Administration Codes of Practice Health & Safety Responsibilities Inspection Policies & Procedures Defect & Hazard Recognition Material Recognition and Measurement Claims Investigation
- 20. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING Highly Recommended Units NRSWA & Sector schemes Customer Care Court Procedures http://theihe.org/knowledge-network/highway-maintenance/highway- safety-inspectors/
- 21. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING HIGHWAY LAW & ADMINISTRATION In Depth Knowledge of Duties and Powers Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 Section 1 duty to maintain Section 2 special defence Significant Case Histories Gorringe v Calderdale 2004 Littler v Liverpool & Meggs v Liverpool 1968 Nolan v Merseyside & NW Water 1982 Reid v BT 1987 BT v Nottinghamshire CC 1998
- 22. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING MATERIAL RECOGNITION & MEASUREMENT Accurately measure Estimate Recognise materials
- 23. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING DEFECT & HAZARD RECOGNITION Well Maintained Highways Appendix B Parameters for Defect Definitions Abrupt level differences in running surface Potholes, cracks, gaps
- 24. IHE NATIONAL INSPECTOR TRAINING DEFECT & HAZARD RECOGNITION Edge deterioration Kerbing edging channels Ironwork broken missing Signs, markings studs Trees and loose branches Rocking slabs Defective footways Identify and describe defects Select most suitable treatment Describe location Work within policy guidelines
- 25. SUMMARY Guidance Document Appendix C fewer claims less expense on litigation less expense on administration Consistent Network Hierarchy Robust Inspection, Recording & Reporting Repair in Reasonable Time
- 26. ANY QUESTIONS?