Wigan Council
Local Authority
Action Taken
Following the report, the council measured the pothole depth and repaired it, both temporarily and permanently. They assert this was done despite the pothole not meeting the threshold for intervention under their Highway Safety Inspection Policy. (AI summary)
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Dear Professor Leeming Cameron Chadwick - Deceased Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths Thank you for your correspondence dated 6th July 2017 relating to the inquest into the unfortunate death of Cameron Chadwick and the Regulation 28 notice that has been served to Wigan Council. I have now been able to investigate the background into this matter and I would like to advise you as follows. Having considered the content of the Regulation 28 - Coroners Report, we have now carried out a number of actions, in particular relating to points 5.6 and 7 which are actions directed to Wigan Council. I have outlined below the specific interventions and actions that we have taken, in response to each of these points. Action Point 5.1.i - Coroners Concerns I can confirm that a Technical Officer (Highways and Streetworks) and a Technical Design Officer (Highways) from the Highway Asset Management Team, who are experienced in carrying out highway safety inspections, attended the location of the incident at Helveyllyn Road, Norley Hall, Wigan on 6th July 2017. The purpose of this site visit was to establish the depth of the carriageway pothole. In the police report (exhibit DJH 2- point 19) the police officer gave evidence that the pothole was 4.5cm (45mm) deep at its lowest point at the time of the accident.
Confident Place, Confident People.
However, I can confirm that the actual depth of the carriageway pothole as measured on site by the two council officers (6lh July 2017) was 36mm deep at its deepest point. I have attached a photograph referenced H1 as proof of this measurement. Action Point 6 - Action Should Be Taken I can confirm that Wigan Council has in place a Highway Safety Inspection Policy for its highway network. All highways are subject to regular safety inspections by competent highway inspectors. Any safety defects found during those inspections giving rise to a real source of dangers to reasonable users would have been subject to repair within certain timescales dependent on the degree of the danger. However, in line with best practice and from the Regulation 28 - Coroner’s Report advising us this incident, the highway asset management service has exercised their discretion to carry out a repair, although it did not actually meet the Council’s highway intervention level for a safety defect. For recording purposes I can advise that a temporary repair to the carriageway pothole was actioned 6th July 2017. This temporary repair was followed up with a permanent one on 17th July 2017. I have attached a photograph referenced H2 as evidence of this repair. Action Point 7 - Your Response Please accept this letter as our confirmation that we have complied with your report and provided details of the actions/dates we have taken to comply with your Regulation 28 request. I trust that the above is satisfactory to you, but should you require any further information relating the above, please let me know and we will do our best to help.
Confident Place, Confident People.
However, I can confirm that the actual depth of the carriageway pothole as measured on site by the two council officers (6lh July 2017) was 36mm deep at its deepest point. I have attached a photograph referenced H1 as proof of this measurement. Action Point 6 - Action Should Be Taken I can confirm that Wigan Council has in place a Highway Safety Inspection Policy for its highway network. All highways are subject to regular safety inspections by competent highway inspectors. Any safety defects found during those inspections giving rise to a real source of dangers to reasonable users would have been subject to repair within certain timescales dependent on the degree of the danger. However, in line with best practice and from the Regulation 28 - Coroner’s Report advising us this incident, the highway asset management service has exercised their discretion to carry out a repair, although it did not actually meet the Council’s highway intervention level for a safety defect. For recording purposes I can advise that a temporary repair to the carriageway pothole was actioned 6th July 2017. This temporary repair was followed up with a permanent one on 17th July 2017. I have attached a photograph referenced H2 as evidence of this repair. Action Point 7 - Your Response Please accept this letter as our confirmation that we have complied with your report and provided details of the actions/dates we have taken to comply with your Regulation 28 request. I trust that the above is satisfactory to you, but should you require any further information relating the above, please let me know and we will do our best to help.