Motorists in for a bumpy ride as cash for roads goes down pothole

THE number of potholes plaguing local roads is to increase after a survey revealed that most councils intend to reduce roads maintenance work.

Research by the County Councils Network (CCN) found that 85 per cent of authorities plan to cut their roads maintenance projects next year as inflation affects the cost of work.

The body, which represents councils representing half of the population, said drivers should expect the number of potholes and road defects to grow unless extra cash was made available.

The research found that it would cost an additional £500 million to continue with maintenance plans, with some local authorities affected by a 25 per cent rise in costs for road schemes.

Tim Oliver, chairman of CCN, said inflation would particularly reduce resurfacing work. “This, coupled with the weather, makes it inevitable that there will likely be more potholes and defects on roads as local authorities try to catch up on roads work, which is costing significantly more compared to 12 months ago.”

The issue of potholes on local roads has become more acute in recent years as local government budgets have become squeezed.

According to the Asphalt Industry Alliance’s (AIA’S) annual survey, it would cost £12.6billion to fix potholes on England and Wales’s local roads, and take nine years to clear. In 2012, this figure was above £9billion.

This backlog has grown despite local

councils fixing a pothole every 19 seconds.

Research from the Local Government Association (LGA) found that the Government was spending 31 times more per mile on fixing motorways last year, when compared with fixing potholes on local roads. The analysis showed that £192,000 is spent on each mile of strategic roads, compared to £6,000 on local roads’ potholes.

Local roads make up 180,000 miles of the UK’S roads network, next to 4,800 miles of strategic roads.

David Renard, transport spokesman for the LGA, said: “All journeys by car begin and end on local roads, which make up [most] of our road network.

“Spending more on improving our motorways whilst neglecting crumbling local roads is counterproductive.”

Both the LGA and the CCN are calling on the Chancellor, with the latter specifically asking for an additional £500 million, to plug the inflationary gap.

Rick Green, chairman of AIA, said: “Potholes are not inevitable, they are the result of poorly maintained roads due to long term under-funding and the prospect of local authorities facing further funding cuts is concerning.”

The Department for Transport has been contacted for comment.