Call for £100m fund to tackle crumbling roads

● Tories hit out at ‘pothole plague’ ● MSPS have faced constituents’ anger

A £100 million war chest is needed to tackle the crumbling state of Scotland’s roads has been called for by MSPS.

It comes amid growing concerns over potholes and poor surfaces which are damaging cars and endangering cyclists and those on motorbikes.

And there are fears that the recent severe weather has now made repair even more difficult, meaning that Scotland’s roads are now facing a crisis.

Recent statistics suggest that more than a quarter of the country’s roads are in an unsatisfactory state, MSPS heard during a Holyrood debate yesterday.

And the Tories unveiled plans for a £100 million Roads Maintenance Fund over the term of the next Scottish Parliament.

Conservative transport spokesman Jamie Greene said the roads fund was the

0 There are fears that the recent severe weather has now made repairs even more difficult “right thing to do.” He added: “We all rely on our roads but they are now plagued with potholes and poor road surfaces which is not just damaging cars but endangering cyclists and motorcyclists.

“Beyond our concerns for public safety, this systematic under-investment is slowing our economy and costing local councils a fortune in compensation for car owners.”

Local councils would be able to bid for cash from the roads funds to repair potholes across the country.

The party say it would be enough to repair nearly two million potholes over the course of the Parliament.

According to data unearthed by the Tories, Scotland has a combined 153,310 potholes at a total depth of 6,354 metres. While recent statistics suggest that more than a quarter of the country’s roads are in an unsatisfactory state.

Local authorities have paid out over £2 million in pothole compensation claims to motorists over the last ten years, while maintenance funding for roads has been reduced by 20 per cent.

Transport Secretary Humza Yousaf said that most MSPS had been contacted by constituents with concerns about potholes.

He said £8.2 billion had been invested in roads since 2007 and there had been an increase in 2018/19 budget of £65 million in the maintenance budget. In 2016/17 there had been a 10 per cent increase in satisfaction from transport network users.

He said: “If any member wishes to raise any particular concerns about any particular pothole I will speak to my road maintenance team in Transport Scotland and that is an open offer.”

Mr Yousaf admitted it had been “challenging” for councils and road maintenance funds “fell far short of what it should have been” in recent years.