One in five local roads could be UNUSABLE in less than five years, report claims
The figure, equal to 40,000 miles of carriageway, comes as councils face a huge funding deficit to tackle potholes, the study by the Asphalt Industry Alliance says
MANY local roads are in such bad condition that one in five could be unusable in less than five years, a report claims.
The figure, equal to 40,000 miles of carriageway, comes as councils face a huge funding deficit to tackle potholes, the study says.
Spending on roads maintenance is “way short” of the amount needed, says the annual report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance.
And the gap between what local authorities got for carriageways and what they really needed was £556million in 2017/18.
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AIA chairman Rick Green warned deterioration “continues to accelerate”. He urged the Government to “provide adequate funding for a well maintained and safe local road network”.
Martin Tett, the Local Government Association’s transport spokesman, said the sum spent on local roads is “miles behind” that for motorways and major A-roads.
Councils filled 1.5 million potholes in the past year, against 2.7 million in 2015. Since 2007, defective surfaces have contributed to 22 cyclist deaths.
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