New figures reveal 1 in 5 of Cov’s minor roads need repair work
AROUND one in five of Coventry’s minor roads is in a state of “considerable deterioration” and needs repair.
The latest figures from the Department for Transport show 20 percent of the minor road network in Coventry has been categorised as “red” by inspectors.
This means that when these roads were surveyed in 2018/19, they had a wide range of surface damage and deterioration - and were expected to need maintenance within the next 12 months.
That’s up from 19 per cent of the network in 2017/18.
The DfT separate roads into major and minor routes.
Major roads include motorways and ‘A’ roads. Minor roads are made up of ‘B’ and ‘C’ roads as well as unclassified roads which which are intended for local, rather than through traffic.
Around 60 per cent of UK roads are unclassified roads.
The Department for Transport said that the weather, road maintenance strategies, funding, levels of road traffic and congestion can all affect the condition of the network.
However, they also said that the latest statistics may have been affected by the cold and wintery weather conditions experienced in early 2018 in particular - otherwise known as the “Beast from the East”.
Looking at B and C roads, around two percent of the network in Coventry is classed as category red - the same proportion as in 2017/18.
That’s compared to a national average of six percent - though different parts of the country use different systems to measure disrepair, meaning the statistics are not consistent. Only one per cent of principal roads in Coventry were classed as category red, again, the same as last year.
The principal road network is made up of A roads and motorways - and doesn’t include B or C roads or other local roads.
Looking nationally, the condition of roads in England has stagnated since 2015/16.
Prior to this, there had been a gradual improvement in A, B and C roads since 2011 with fewer roads being classified as “red”.
Coventry City Council has been approached for comment.