The Highways, Transport and Waste Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday 22 January 2026 to discuss the Medium Term Financial Strategy, the progress of the Melton Mowbray Distribution Road, and the council's approach to pedestrian crossings and healthy streets. Key decisions included noting the proposed financial strategy and receiving updates on ongoing infrastructure projects.

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2026/27 - 2029/30

The committee reviewed the proposed Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the years 2026/27 to 2029/30, focusing on its implications for Highways, Transport, and Waste Services. The report highlighted a projected budget gap that would need to be balanced by the use of earmarked reserves, with the gap increasing significantly over the four-year period. The proposed revenue budget for Highways, Transport, and Waste Services in 2026/27 was detailed, along with planned growth and savings. Significant areas of growth included increased costs for Special Educational Needs (SEN) transport and waste management, while savings were projected from the Assisted Transport Programme and efficiencies in contract procurement. The report also outlined potential savings under development and discussed the ongoing Efficiency Review commissioned by the Council to address financial challenges. The committee was informed about other factors influencing the MTFS delivery, including government funding settlements, the impact of climate change, and recruitment and retention challenges within the workforce. The capital programme for the period was also summarised, detailing planned investments in major schemes, transport asset management, and waste management.

Melton Mowbray Distribution Road

An update was provided on the North and East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (NE MMDR) project. The 7.1km single carriageway road, which includes cycle and walking facilities, has cost approximately £134 million. The project's purpose is to enable the delivery of new homes and workplaces, improve the town centre environment by reducing through traffic and improving air quality, and enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The benefits include reduced congestion, improved journey time reliability, better air quality, enhanced highway safety, and increased sustainable travel. The report detailed the extensive journey of the project, from options assessment in 2015/16 to the commencement of main works in May 2023, with completion anticipated in Spring 2026. The committee was informed about the assurance processes in place, both internal and external, to manage a project of this scale. Significant challenges encountered during construction, such as exceptional weather events, flooding, and complex ground conditions, were highlighted, alongside innovative solutions like Foamix Base Surfacing. The budget and finance section indicated that the current forecast cost is £134.6 million, an increase from the initial Full Business Case cost due to these pressures. Lessons learned from the project are being documented for application to future capital programmes. The road naming process, involving public consultation, was also discussed.

Pedestrian Crossing Assessment and Justification in Leicestershire

The committee received an overview of Leicestershire County Council's approach to assessing and justifying pedestrian, cycle, and horse rider crossings. The current methodology, based on a modified PV² calculation, considers factors such as pedestrian and vehicular flow, accident data, waiting times, road width, vehicle speeds, and special factors like community severance and proximity to schools or community centres. The report outlined the process for assessing requests from the public, the council's role as a statutory consultee in the planning process, and the approach to third-party funding requests. A proposed minor modification to the assessment process was presented, which involves expanding the survey area to cover a larger extent of the road to ensure a more comprehensive capture of pedestrian activity. This refinement aims to provide a more robust assessment, particularly in areas where crossing opportunities are more dispersed. The report also detailed the timeline of previous assessments for a requested zebra crossing in Bottesford, High Street, highlighting discrepancies in earlier results and the subsequent agreement for further reassessments. The analysis of the June 2024 CJA results for Bottesford indicated that while individual zones might not meet the threshold for a crossing, combined zone values could raise the justification level. The report also included supporting evidence on traffic volume impacts, pedestrian and driver compliance, and the safety considerations for crossings on high-speed roads.

Healthy Streets

The committee was presented with an overview of the Healthy Streets approach, a framework that integrates public health considerations into transport, public realm, and planning decisions. The report explained that this approach prioritises people over vehicles, aiming to create safer, fairer, and more attractive urban spaces that encourage walking, cycling, and wheeling. The benefits of Healthy Streets were detailed, including economic growth, improved health and wellbeing, enhanced transport efficiency, environmental improvements, and social inclusion. The framework is underpinned by a set of indicators that guide decision-making, focusing on aspects such as safety, comfort, and environmental resilience. The report highlighted that the Healthy Streets approach aligns with various local strategies and has been adopted by authorities nationwide. It was noted that Leicestershire County Council is embedding this approach into its business-as-usual schemes and programmes, with several capital schemes being designed using Healthy Streets principles following recent funding awards. These schemes will focus on enhancing routes to schools, creating shared-use corridors, and improving existing infrastructure through engineering works, maintenance programmes, education, and public realm enhancements. The report concluded that the council will continue to embed the Healthy Streets approach to maximise health, environmental, and social benefits, creating safer and more inclusive streets.