The Local Highways Improvement (LHI) programme covers all districts in Cambridgeshire and invites any groups or organisations that represent the local community to apply for funding. The schemes are community driven and give local people the opportunity to put forward proposals for highway improvements in their area.
The schemes are delivered by the County Council on a joint funded basis and applicants can apply for funding of up to either £25,000 for complex projects or £10,000 for non-complex projects, as a contribution to their scheme. The applicant is expected to provide a minimum contribution of 10% towards the total scheme cost.
Complex applications will be assessed by the relevant area member panel with technical input from officers, however non-complex applications will be assessed using a prioritisation matrix developed by a member working group so officers can score and rank the applications accordingly against set criteria.
Due to the popularity of this initiative, applications are limited as follows:
- Parish councils - one bid per parish.
- Town councils - one bid per county council division in the town.
- Cambridge City - five bids per county council division.
- Community groups - one additional application, per respective parish, town, or city, (this does not apply to Cambridge City). This application should be applied for in the same way and needs to evidence the support of the locally elected member/s before submitting.
Preparing an application
Firstly, take a look at the highway measures we offer that may help address the issue you are experiencing or may benefit your local area. You should be able to clearly identify the objective of your application, describing in detail the location and the highway issue you are trying to solve or why an improvement is needed.
Please note the LHI initiative is solely for work on the public highway. Proposals for work on unadopted roads or private land will not be accepted.
Is your application complex or non-complex?
The complex projects are primarily those which will include physical traffic calming measures such as -
- Raised features, speed cushions, road humps or speed tables
- Central islands
- Priority build outs
- Pedestrian crossings such as zebra crossings
- Footpaths
- Cycle paths.
The non-complex projects are those which involve improvements other than the physical traffic calming measures listed above, and include -
- Parking restrictions, for example double or single yellow lines
- Street lighting
- Speed limits, for example 40mph buffer zones.
- Passive calming measures such as village gateways, signs and road markings
- Mobile Vehicle Activated Signs, (MVAS).
Once you have decided what type of scheme you will be applying for, you will be asked to complete an online application form. This form asks you to provide information specific to your application, confirm you have the support of your local elected member (CMIS website) and that you have informally consulted on your requested improvement with those who will be directly affected should your submission be successful.
It is very important to consult with those who could be impacted by your requested improvement at the pre-application stage to prevent your application being withdrawn at a later stage in the process, especially if it becomes evident local stakeholder support for your requested improvement isn’t forthcoming.
How to complete the online application form
Your scheme should meet the aims of the LHI initiative as set out below. You will be asked to demonstrate how your scheme fulfils these criteria on the application form. It is important to provide as much relevant information as possible.
The following interactive map provides information which you will need to include in your application including current accident data. You can also make sure that your requested improvement is on the public highway.
(If the map does not load, please view it on the MapsCambridgeshire website.)
1. Does your application address a known safety issue?
Evidence should be provided that demonstrates that there is an existing safety issue or problem. This can be with reference to -
- Existing recorded accident data which can be found on our website
- Anecdotal evidence of accidents including reference to photographs or emails where an injury accident may not have occurred
2. Could the suggested scheme increase safety for highway users?
Evidence should be provided in the application of how the scheme will make it safer for different user groups. Specific reference should be made to the expected safety improvements the requested changes will have for groups such as pedestrians, cyclists, or vulnerable users.
An example could include the installation of speed cushions outside a primary school to reduce vehicle speeds in an area with a high number of vulnerable users, or the installation of parking restrictions to prevent vehicles parking too close to a junction and increase visibility for those seeking to cross the road.
3. Could the suggested scheme contribute positively to public health?
Your application should detail the expected increase in safety because of your improvement being installed for users of non-motorised forms of transport.
For example, you could refer to or highlight how your proposal would encourage an uptake in healthy activities such as walking, cycling, and horse-riding. Improvements could include areas of widened foot or cycle path, warning signs making it safer for horse riders or cyclists to use a section of road, or a pedestrian crossing linking two areas of a village and providing a safe place for people to cross.
4. Does the application have demonstrable local support?
Does the wider community, particularly those directly affected, support this scheme proposal? How important is this issue on a local level? Evidence that your proposal is supported by the local community including your local county councillor , along with the level of local consultation that has been carried out.
For example, you should provide a detailed summary of what consultation you have undertaken to date, for example a parish newsletter, online survey, or presentation at a council meeting. You will need to satisfy those scoring your application that should it be successful local stakeholders will be in support of the scheme and are aware of what has been applied for.
5. Could the scheme potentially lead to any localised environmental improvements?
Examples of this could include but aren't limited to the following: an anticipated improvement in air quality near a school, an expected reduction in noise pollution, or a positive reduction in vehicle speeds.
Further scoring criteria
In addition to the above five criteria your application will also be assessed on how deliverable your project is perceived to be based on your requested improvement, and how fully the above criteria has been answered in your submission.
Your application will also be weighted and scored on the total cost of your project using a population versus applicant contribution matrix. Therefore, you will need to provide the population of the area you are applying on behalf of as part of your application. This should be based on indicative parish population estimates (Cambridgeshire Insight website).
Read the document below for more information.
Applying
Please note the LHI application window closes at 5pm on Friday 6 January 2023.
Example of the Local Highway Improvement Initiative Application Form
The indicative timeline for the 23/24 application window is as follows –
- Application window opens – Monday 31 October 2022
- Application window closes - Friday 6 January 2023 at 5pm
- Prioritisation and feasibility studies undertaken – February to April 2023
- Member panel meetings – May 2023
- Report to committee including prioritised lists for approval - June 2023
- Programming, design, and consultation with applicants - July 2023 to March 2024
- Pricing and construction – March 2024 to August 2024.
What happens next?
This will depend on whether your application falls into the non-complex or complex category.
For non-complex applications the process will be as follows
- The applicant will submit a completed online LHI form
- Applications are then sifted by officers into either complex or non-complex projects
- Non-complex applications are reviewed on a district wide basis and assigned to individual officers to progress
- Officers will review their assigned non-complex applications and produces a high-level cost estimate for each application
- If needed officers will liaise with the applicant to confirm the exact amount the applicant will be contributing to the project if the estimated cost exceeds the amount the applicant has indicated they are able to contribute on their application form, or if anything about the application is unclear
- The officer group will reconvene to score all non-complex applications as a group for each district using the prioritisation matrix
- The non-complex scheme scores are then ranked for delivery up to budget available for the relevant district area and the prioritised list is shared with the LHI member working group to review and approve.
For complex applications your proposal will be as follows
- Applicant submits the completed online LHI form
- Countywide applications are sifted by officers into either complex or non-complex projects
- The complex applications are reviewed on a district wide basis and assigned to individual officers to progress. A road safety and policy review will also be undertaken with the Highway Project Team. Jointly officers will consider the options available that best meet the objectives of your application, including any solutions you have suggested
- The assigned officer will then review assigned complex applications individual in more detail. At this stage they may contact the applicant to discuss their application further if anything is unclear. Following this a draft feasibility report will be produced for each separate application
- The officer will then liaise with the applicant and share a copy of the feasibility report and budget estimate for the project. This will outline the agreed scheme objectives, extents, and key project risks
- The applicant will review the report. They will likely need to have the budget implications approved at a council meeting before formally approving the contents and the third-party contribution
- Once the feasibility report has been formally accepted by the applicant officers will produce a technical appraisal report in advance of the district member panel day. This will detail the costs and key project risks agreed with the applicant
- The member panel day will then take place. The complex applications will be presented by the applicants and district member panel will score the applications based on set criteria
- Once all the district member panel days are complete the complex project scores are collated and ranked by officers for delivery up to the budget available for relevant district area and presented to the Highways & Transport Committee for review and approval.
Delivery
If your application receives funding you will be asked to confirm in writing that you agree to provide your contribution and approve commencement of the scheme.
If we do not receive the above, or if circumstances have changed, we will reallocate funding to the next prioritised application.
You will be invoiced for your contribution to the scheme on completion of the works.