Nottinghamshire County Council is working in partnership with Nottingham (lead authority) and Derby City Councils to deliver the Go Ultra-Low Programme which aims to create a major change in the number of ultra-low emission cars and vans on the roads. The objectives are to significantly improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and create opportunities for the growth of electric car manufacturing.

The Nottingham Go Ultra Low programme is funded by £6.1m grant from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). Each element of the programme will be expanded into the county wherever this is possible. £2m of the grant has been has been earmarked for expanding the public electric vehicle charging infrastructure to create an area wide network across Nottinghamshire, Nottingham and Derby area by 2020. Locations that will form part of the charging network will be made publicly available for 24 hours every day.

Work is currently taking place to identify potential locations and assess their feasibility and a number of potential sites have been proposed for inclusion in the electric vehicle charging network. Currently, 91 public electric charge points have been installed in the county in thirteen different locations.

Two rapid electric vehicle charge points have recently been installed in the public car park at County Hall and it is proposed that more charging points are installed at suitable County Council properties, such as visitor attractions to expand the charging network. In addition, work is under way to expand the County Council’s electric pool cars and vans.
Local businesses or voluntary organisations may be able to apply for grants of up to £25,000 to help pay for the installation of electric charging points at their workplaces for their staff and visitors. Additional advice or loans may also available to help organisations introduce low-emission vehicles into their fleets.

Councillor John Cottee, Communities and Place Committee Chairman said:
“The County Council and its partners are committed to supporting the Go Ultra Low Programme to help make its ambitions a reality. We are promoting the introduction and use of electric vehicles, expanding the charging infrastructure on council premises for public use, supporting local businesses and voluntary organisations in introducing electric vehicles and charging points in their workplaces.

“The advantages can be enjoyed by everyone: lower costs involved with the maintenance and upkeep of electric vehicles and fewer emissions which leads to significantly improved air quality. These improve ments will help us to create a more sustainable environment, with the benefits being enjoyed now and in the future.”

An innovative new machine is improving the way potholes and roads are being repaired in Nottinghamshire as part of a £1.75m investment in new highways equipment by Nottinghamshire County Council. The Roadmaster has been out on the County’s roads this summer and has already made a big impact, allowing Via East Midlands, who manages Nottinghamshire’s highways network on behalf of the county council, to make high quality repairs and ensure that less potholes develop on Nottinghamshire’s roads.
A successful trial of the machinery has been taking place and the county council has now agreed to purchase a brand-new Roadmaster to be delivered ahead of the spring.

The Roadmaster is an all-in-one spray injection chip patching system. It treats surface defects effectively, sealing the target area, filling cracking and removing potholes whilst regulating the surface. It produces a better finish and it reduces the likelihood of road repairs failing prematurely.
Councillor John Cottee, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Communities and Place Committee chairman at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “We’ve been delighted with the positive impact that the new equipment has had on our repairs so far, providing us with another tool to repair and prevent road surface deterioration in the County and significantly improving productivity.

“Road repairs and resurfacing is one of our top priorities and this £1.75m is a long-term investment to save more money further down the line whilst improving the quality of road repairs, increasing productivity and extending the life expectancy of our roads and is another example of our continuing investment in the network.

“The new Roadmaster we have on order is due to be with us by the spring. It has a higher specification than the machine we’re currently using, including an integrated roller to provide an even better finish.” The Roadmaster allows relatively large areas of carriageway to be treated quickly meaning that teams can pull in more lower priority repairs in the process, slowing down the rate at which our roads deteriorate and reducing the need for future re-visits to the same locations.

In addition, the council are introducing mechanised patching, where new and existing equipment will be used together to make patching of larger areas of road, where the road surface has suffered significant deterioration, economically viable and also carry out deeper structural repairs. This will improve the quality of ride for road users as well as the appearance.
The use of both types of equipment across Nottinghamshire will be prioritised and depend on factors such as the type of road and nature of the repair needed, with existing methods of repair continuing across the network.

The county council will continue with its existing approaches to fixing potholes, including find and fix repairs using either Viafix or patching, ensuring the highway remains safe for road users.

“We repaired more than 115,000 potholes in 2018 following a harsh winter and almost 70,000 this year to date. Potholes are a major concern for residents and we’ve listened to this,” added Coun Cottee. “These methods provide us with two new tools in our armoury when it comes to tackling and preventing potholes in the county, further ensuring that we can make the right repair at the right time.” A £20m cash pot was set up by the county council in 2018 to invest in Nottinghamshire’s roads.

Sutton has been successful in the Future High Streets fund following the announcement that a further 50 towns have made it through to the shortlist. The £1billion Government fund can be used to improve access to town centres, convert empty retail units and encourage investment in the town centre. The Council submitted their bid earlier this year and were disappointed not to have made the first 50 announced earlier this summer. Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council said “Our officers worked hard to put together a submission that outlined a strong case for Sutton town centre. I am delighted that our hard work has now paid off.
“It was disappointing for all concerned when we didn’t make the first 50, I knew how strong our submission was and I’m pleased to see them increase the number of towns benefitting from the fund. We will now proceed in drawing up plans for the next stage.”

Following the announcement the Council will now wait to hear if it has been shortlisted for the second stage. If successful it will be able to access up to £150k to implement plans for Sutton town centre, that include improved pedestrian and public transport links into the town, investment in empty buildings and an improved offer within the town centre.

Cllr Zadrozny continued “The Council is fully committed to the regeneration of Sutton town centre and the recent investments from the likes of Wetherspoons and Angling Direct demonstrate that retailers share the vision too. Our investment in Idlewells indoor market is allowing independent retailers to thrive, and funding from the Future High Streets fund would allow us to build on the work and investment that has already taken place. Helping to turn Sutton into a vibrant hub where people want to shop and do business.”

The Council now awaits further details from the Government on the next stage of the funding process.