The backlog of repairs for disintegrating roads in England and Wales has reached new heights, with carriageways resurfaced on average once every 93 years, writes Chris Tindall.
An annual survey found almost £17bn is now required as a one-off for local authorities to bring the network up to ideal conditions.
Around 106,000 miles of the local road network (52%) is reported to have less than 15 years’ structural life left and a third – around 34,600 miles – has just five years life left.
David Giles, chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, which commissioned its ALARM survey, said: “Over £20bn has been spent on carriageway maintenance in England and Wales over the last decade.
“Almost all [94%] local authority highway teams reported that, in their opinion, there has been no improvement to their local network over the last year.”
IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes said: “The AIA’s report lays bare the inadequate repairs happening on our local roads, where despite spending billions on filling potholes, the backlog costs are increasing.
“Potholes are an expensive headache for drivers but for those on two wheels they pose a serious road safety hazard.
“Moreover, if drivers are swerving to avoid them, they are risking a collision. While filling a pothole provides temporary respite and a brief improvement in the safety of the road surface, it is essentially a sticking plaster because the section will crumble away under the weight of traffic and from the effects of a cold winter.
“We need to start properly resurfacing our roads to ensure we’re not throwing good money at bad roads, but most importantly to ensure smooth and safe journeys.”
