‘Significant’ work will improve roads

Funding will be targeted at improving East Renfrewshire’s unclassified roads after a survey found many require “significant” work.

The local roads - which make up 80 per cent of the network - are the focus of a maintenance programme for this financial year.

A condition survey found 40 per cent of unclassified roads in East Renfrewshire should be considered for repairs.

“Considerable achievements” on the classified network are “being overshadowed by the figures for the unclassified network”, a council report states.

It has been recognised that unclassified roads “require significant works”.

East Renfrewshire Council’s road network is ranked 21st out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

The most recent road condition survey, in 2020, found the area’s A class roads are second - down from number one in 2018 and 2019.

Both B and C class roads are better than the national average, but over 40 per cent of unclassified roads “should be considered for maintenance treatment”.

In February 2019, the council committed an extra £15million for roads infrastructure over five years - with £3m per year starting from 2019/20.

“The proposals for the majority of the additional £3m allocation for 2021/22 has been directed towards these types of roads,” the council report adds.

The report claims there is a “time lag” between funding being approved and schemes being implemented “which has been further exacerbated by coronavirus”.

“It is, therefore, to be expected that any additional major investment will take time to work through the roads surveying and monitoring system and improve the council’s position.”

Construction industry delays due to Covid-19 delayed the delivery of the 2020/21 programme and some work has been deferred to 2021/22.

The roads selected for maintenance are decided on the structural condition, level of usage, cost of maintenance in previous years, the number of complaints received and geographical spread.