5.2 Management & Maintenance

Introduction

The strategic public realm guidance promotes investment in the city centre’s spaces, buildings and streets. However, the value of this investment is reduced if the urban environment is not managed and maintained effectively to promote a positive image of the city.

Within the urban environment, projects have to be considered not only in terms of their implementation, but their future maintenance and care. Design and maintenance need to be considered together if the streetscape environment is to add value to the image and perception of the city.

The development of common objectives and a co-ordinated programme for management and maintenance among the various public agencies is essential to achieve and sustain improvement to public spaces and ensure continuing corporate investment in the city.

Management

City Centre Management
To maintain an attractive and clean urban environment, the city centre manager works with shopkeepers, businesses and the general public to encourage the continuing economic success and attractive appearance of streetscape projects. The city centre team should monitor cleansing operations, seek to improve the methods used and raise user awareness of the value of the public realm.

Public Awareness
At present, the amount of litter and staining evident in Sheffield’s streetscape indicates a general lack of care for the urban environment.

There is a recognised problem with litter in many city centres, particularly in pedestrian through routes, and around areas which have late night bars and clubs. The image of a littered city creates a negative impression, while a litter free environment can positively influence behaviour. ‘Clean streets’ will, with time, develop a sense of pride within Sheffield’s citizens.

An awareness campaign must be promoted in the city’s schools, in the local press, and at public events to communicate the importance of the public realm in our daily lives. Projects should be run within the schools to proactively involve children to care for their urban environment.

Street Management - Having a Presence
Sheffield, like some other cities, has introduced a team of people – city centre ambassadors - to assist in the management of its streets. These representatives are dressed in a recognisable uniform and are employed to help people find their way around the city centre. Such initiatives give the management of the street a higher profile and raise public awareness.

Design Manuals
The proposed maintenance procedures for any streetscape project should be compiled in a manual prior to completion of the contracted works. The manual should:

• incorporate the agreed procedures for maintenance works;
  
• identify the exact materials to be used;
  
• provide the names and contact information for all suppliers;
  
• outline procedures for reinstatement works by Public Utility companies.

Amenity Lighting/CCTV
Streetscape projects can be strengthened by the implementation of a successful lighting scheme, which can enhance its character and prolong hours of use of the city’s streets and spaces. The introduction of lighting can increase the perception of safety in the area.

In addition, the introduction of close circuit television (CCTV) to streets and spaces has been proven to reduce vandalism and crime. By integrating lighting solutions with monitoring equipment and help buttons, an area’s safety is substantially increased.

Continuing Design Involvement
It is recommended that designers be involved in the aftercare of the streetscape projects in order to promote co-ordination and continuity of design aims. The vision for the project can then be maintained.

Maintenance

The maintenance of the public realm is twofold:

1. The maintenance of the materials in the streets, including:

• reinstatement of paving surfaces to the standard and specification of the original works;
  
• co-ordination of public utilities - both in the design process to promote creative resolutions to the integration of services and access points, and in the programming of services;
  
• responding immediately to failures in the materials (i.e. vehicle overrun causing cracking to slabs) to ensure the safety of users of the space is maintained, and that the problem does not spread;
  
• a stockpile of paving materials must be set aside to ensure that stock is available for reinstatement work and repair.

2. The general upkeep of the environment including:

• litter and refuse collection, both from the streets and from the bins;
  
• removal of flyer postings;
  
• cleaning of the street (washing, specialist steam cleaning for chewing gum on pavements, removal of oil staining);
  
• removal of graffiti.

‘Zones’ for Streets
While littering may appear harmless, it jeopardises the success of projects and visually detracts from the street environment. The City Council is implementing the concept of zones, which equate to the expected standard of cleanliness for that area. The zones do not dictate the methods or frequency of cleaning/rubbish removal, but instead dictate the level of cleanliness to be achieved. The cleaning regimes for streets and spaces must take into account their use patterns and be adaptable to weather conditions.

Impact of Cleaning Methods - Paving the Way
The impact of cleaning methods must be considered when establishing a cleansing regime for the streets. Many materials and laying methods need time for the joints to seal and for the pavements to become more impervious. Vacuum suction and high pressure hoses should not be used in the initial months of a project’s life, with operations restricted to manual sweeping.

‘Streets Ahead’, a publication produced by Scottish Enterprise, offers technical guidelines for quality streetscape projects, and provides the following checklist for aftercare:

• contractors should attend to emerging defects immediately;
  
• the maintenance advantages of flexibility laid surfaces should be considered;
  
• flexibility laid surfaces should be allowed time to mature;
  
• avoid the use of vacuum suction operations where there is risk of disturbance to a surface;
  
• the method of street cleaning should follow the requirements of the design;
  
• CCTV should be considered for town centre schemes;
  
• avoid the use of joint sealing bonding agents for prominent block paving surfaces;
  
• investigate the effect of using salt-grit for de-icing proposed surfaces;
  
• maintenance requirements should be specified, calculated and approved prior to implementation.

Public Utilities
There is a need to improve and co-ordinate the activities of Public Utilities (PUs). Failure to reinstate street surfaces to the standard of the original finish is a significant issue – particularly where considerable investment has been directed to the improvement of the streetscape with quality materials.

Repairs to road and pavement surfaces are to be done with “prescribed material” to a “prescribed standard” and streetworks supervisors and operators have to prove themselves capable of organising and carrying out reinstatement work. The Streetworks Act is a positive instrument for achieving a higher standard of quality control. This is essential if critical decisions on the future quality of streets are to be determined.

Application
Action is required to:

• guarantee that original street surface materials are reinstated following works;
  
• apply the requirements of the 1991 Streetworks Act as the minimum standard for works in the City centre;
  
• co ordinate public utilities activities in order that the disruption and inconvenience to city centre businesses and pedestrians is minimised.

Existing co-ordination arrangements should be extended to embrace the public authorities, PUs and the business community. There are a variety of approaches to establishing such a level of co ordination for the city centre and some are examined later. However, one of the key tasks will be to change attitudes in the PUs towards their reinstatement activities.

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