LGA warns on ‘national roads crisis’

2 Apr 14
The deteriorating condition of roads in England and Wales has become a national crisis, councils have warned today, with a total repair backlog now standing at £12bn

By Richard Johnstone | 3 April 2014

The deteriorating condition of roads in England and Wales has become a national crisis, councils have warned today, with a total repair backlog now standing at £12bn.

Responding to the Asphalt Industry Alliance's annual survey of council road conditions, the Local Government Association said that £200m of government funding announced in last month's Budget would not be enough to tackle the backlog.  

Today’s report, which was completed by 74% of the local authorities, found the maintenance bill to bring all council roads into a good condition had risen by £1.5bn compared to last year, following a winter of severe weather. 

Nearly two-thirds of local authorities in England said the storms and floods had led to deterioration in the condition of local roads, with some saying the repair backlog had increased by 30% over the year.

Responding to the figures, Peter Box, chair of the LGA’s economy and transport board, said it would take more than a decade to bring all local roads up to scratch, even if the funding was available.

‘Councils have long warned that our already dilapidated road network could not cope with another extreme winter and the unprecedented recent flooding experienced across the country has left behind a trail of destruction to our highways. 

‘Keeping our roads safe is one of the most important jobs councils do and they have worked hard to fix another 2 million potholes this year despite deep funding cuts and multi-million pound compensation costs for pothole damage.’

Box said he welcomed the government’s provision of £200m of extra funding in last month's Budget. However, this was not enough extra cash to break the cycle of roads being in need of constant repair, which would always be more expensive than longer-term preventative work, he added. 

‘This country is now facing a roads crisis escalating at an alarming pace with every bout of severe weather and following years of underfunding. 

‘The government’s own traffic projections predict a potential increase in local traffic of more than 40% by 2040. This further highlights the urgent need for increased and consistent investment in the widespread resurfacing projects we desperately need if we're ever to see a long-term improvement.’

According to the report, 18% of English roads are now classed as being in ‘poor condition’ with the figure rising to 19% in London. 

The average English authority faces an average £90m estimated one-time cost to bring its road up to a reasonable condition.

Asphalt Industry Alliance’s chair Alan Mackenzie said the government had made extra money available, but repairs would not be as efficient as money invested in planned, preventative maintenance.

‘It costs at least 20 times more per square metre to fill a pothole than it does to resurface a road,’ he added.


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