COUNCILLORS have approved an investment plan for St Helens’ highway network which includes 780km of road, 1,000km of footways and 23,800 street lights.

The Labour-run council’s cabinet gave the green light to the highways capital and revenue programme for 2021-22 during its meeting on Wednesday.

A report to members sought approval to accept grant funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to facilitate the maintenance and improvement of the borough’s highway infrastructure, which includes the delivery of walking and cycling measures.

The council’s highway infrastructure assets have a total value of around £1.8 billion.

Town Hall chiefs say the highway network plays a critical role in the economic growth of St Helens and is vital for business and personal travel, commuting to work and promoting active travel.

The network is made up of 780km of road, 1,000km of footways, 23,800 street lights, 275 bridges and highway structures, 145 sets of traffic signals, 890 illuminated bollards and 3,130 illuminated traffic signs.

The report demonstrates what has been labelled as the council’s “ongoing commitment to invest in and improve” the highway network, while also acknowledging that the network is an “ageing asset that will deteriorate” unless ongoing significant investment is made.

The cabinet was recommended to accept a capital pot allocation of around £3.23 million from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

This will comprise around £2.59 million for highway maintenance and £640,000 for integrated transport.

Members were also recommended to accept the transport single investment pot key route network allocation of £393,000 from the Combined Authority, endorse the indicative programme of works, approve the development of a highways asset management strategy over the next 12 months and approve funding of £1.35 million for schemes previously agreed in principle at cabinet in February.