Ancient role is revived to repair county’s roads

Lengthsman makes a comeback

CASH-STRAPPED council bosses are reviving a medieval maintenance role to help cut highways costs.

The ancient role of the lengthsman, who would “walk the length of the parish” to ensure ditches and drains were clear, verges were cut and roads were repaired, is being resurrected by Leicestershire county Council.

It joins a growing list of local authorities which have looked to the history books as a way of dealing with modern financial woes.

The county will be engaging with parish councils to test interest and develop the post which originates from the Middle Ages.

The practice only started to decline from the late Victorian period as responsibility for road maintenance passed to county councils.

The county is currently asking for public feedback on a draft highways asset management policy and draft strategy. Lengthsmen are just one of the proposals.

The authority spent £26 million looking after roads, pavements and verges in 2015/16, either directly or through contractors. By 2020 the authority needs to reduce this to £16.5 million.

Councillor Peter Osborne, county council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Our road and footpath network provides connections to employment, health services, education, places of leisure and interest; and supports industry.

“However, with dwindling budgets we need to reconsider our approach to highways maintenance. Our roads are among the best in the country and we want to ensure they are maintained to the best standard they can be, whilst working with increasingly limited resources.”

Proposals include - prioritising high risk repairs when responding to highway defects, focussing on planned maintenance work to help slow down the deterioration of roads, preventative work will be carried out on a ‘risk based’ approach and determined on how roads are ‘categorised’ in a new classification of highways, discussions with parish councils on their involvement in local maintenance, such as grass cutting and looking after trees, flower and shrub beds and introducing a targeted approach to gully cleansing.

Winter services are expected to be kept at current levels.