1. Purpose and Scope
The Sheffield City Council Highway Construction Specification (the Specification) sets out the technical and procedural requirements that apply to all highway construction projects within the city boundaries. It is intended to:
- Ensure a consistent level of quality and safety across the network.
- Facilitate effective procurement and contract administration.
- Promote best practice in environmental management and sustainability.
- Provide a clear reference for designers, contractors, consultants and council staff.
The Specification covers new carriageways, resurfacing, drainage works, traffic management installations, street furniture, and related civil engineering works. It does not apply to private road works unless expressly incorporated into a councilled contract.
2. Legislative Framework
All works must comply with the legislation and standards listed below, which form the legal foundation for the Specification:
- Highways Act 1980 (as amended)
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015)
- Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- Environmental Protection Act 1990
- British Standards (BS) relevant to highway construction e.g. BS8002, BS8500, BS8226
Where a conflict arises between a council policy and statutory requirement, the statutory provision prevails.
3. Core Principles
3.1 Quality and Durability
Materials and workmanship must achieve a minimum service life of 20 years for major carriageway works and 10 years for minor resurfacing projects. Specificationdriven quality control procedures, including material testing and onsite inspections, are mandatory.
3.2 Safety and Health
All projects must be planned and executed in line with CDM 2015. A Principal Designer must be appointed on projects exceeding 500,000 or where multiple contractors are involved. Safety plans must address plant safety, traffic control, manual handling, and exposure to hazardous substances.
3.3 Environmental Sustainability
The council has adopted a green highways approach. Projects must:
- Minimise carbon emissions by selecting lowembodiedenergy materials where feasible.
- Incorporate recycled aggregates up to 30% of total aggregate volume, subject to structural approval.
- Provide for wildlife crossings, permeable surfaces, and rainwater harvesting where appropriate.
3.4 Community Impact
Stakeholder engagement is required for all projects that affect local residents or businesses. A Community Liaison Officer (CLO) must be appointed to handle queries, arrange public notices and mitigate disruption.
4. Design Requirements
Design documents must be produced using the latest version of the councils Standard Specification for Highway Construction (SSHC). Key design criteria include:
- Geometric design conforming to Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Chapter 2 standards.
- Structural design verified against BS8103 for flexible pavements or BS5400 for rigid structures.
- Drainage capacity that handles the 10year design storm without surface ponding.
- Road surface friction values 0.5 (wet) as measured by the British Pendulum Tester.
Design submissions must be accompanied by a Design Review Pack (DRP) that includes calculations, drawings, risk assessments and a Statement of Compliance.
5. Procurement and Tendering
The council follows the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015). Procurement routes include:
- Minicompetitions for lowvalue works (100,000 to 1million).
- Framework agreements for recurring works such as routine resurfacing.
- Open or restricted procedures for highvalue projects.
All tender documentation must contain the Specification as a mandatory condition. Any deviation must be justified, documented and approved by the Contract Administrator.
6. Construction Phase
6.1 Site Setup and Traffic Management
A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) compliant with the Traffic Signs Manual (TSM) must be approved before works commence. The TMP must address:
- Safe access and egress for plant and personnel.
- Pedestrian and cyclist protection.
- Noise and dust mitigation, including the use of water sprinkling and acoustic barriers where required.
6.2 Material Supply and Testing
All aggregates, bitumen and cementitious materials must be accompanied by a Material Test Certificate (MTC) issued by an accredited laboratory. Onsite testing includes:
- Proctor compaction tests for subgrade and base layers.
- Asphalt Marshall stability tests for flexible pavements.
- Slump and air content tests for concrete mixes.
6.3 Quality Assurance
The contractors QA plan must be verified by the councils Independent Inspector (II). Inspection points are defined in the Specification and include preplacement inspections, postplacement surveys, and final acceptance testing.
6.4 Health & Safety Monitoring
Daily site safety briefings, toolbox talks and incident reporting are compulsory. The Site Safety File must be kept up to date and made available to council inspectors on request.
7. Completion and Handover
Before a project can be deemed complete, the following criteria must be satisfied:
- All defects recorded in the Defects Log are rectified to the satisfaction of the Contract Administrator.
- Final surface testing meets the target values set out in the design specifications.
- Asbuilt drawings, material certificates and the completed Site Safety File are submitted.
- A formal Handover Certificate is signed by the contractor, the designer and the councils Highway Engineer.
Postconstruction monitoring is required for a minimum of 12 months on major works, during which the council will assess settlement, surface cracking and drainage performance.
8. Environmental and Sustainability Measures
The Specification embeds a series of sustainability metrics known as the Sheffield Highway Green Score. Points are awarded for:
- Use of recycled aggregates (up to 10 points).
- Inclusion of permeable pavement areas (up to 5 points).
- Implementation of lownoise surfacing (up to 5 points).
- Adoption of onsite renewable energy (e.g., solarpowered lighting) (up to 5 points).
Projects achieving a Green Score of 20 or more are eligible for a Sustainable Highway accolade and may receive a modest bonus under the councils procurement policy.
9. Accessing the Full Specification
The complete Sheffield City Council Highway Construction Specification can be downloaded from the councils website:
https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/roads/specification
Registered users may also request a printed copy via the councils Procurement Office. For clarification or technical queries, contact the Highway Engineering Team at highways@sheffield.gov.uk.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Specification?
The Primary Contractor is contractually obliged to adhere to all mandatory clauses. The Councils Independent Inspector provides oversight, while the Contract Administrator enforces compliance through contractual mechanisms.
Q2: Can alternative materials be used if they offer environmental benefits?
Yes, but any substitution must be submitted for approval with full technical justification, performance data and supporting test results. The council may approve alternatives that meet or exceed the original specifications.
Q3: How are changes to the Specification handled?
Amendments are published as Specification Updates on the council website. Contractors are required to review updates and, where relevant, submit revised method statements or designs for approval.
Q4: What is the process for dealing with a defect after completion?
Defects are recorded in the Defects Log and assigned a priority rating. The contractor must remediate within the stipulated timeframes. Failure to do so may result in retention deductions under the contract.
