Local roads across England and Wales face a record £18.62bn repair backlog that would take 12?years to clear, according to the latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey.
Around half (51%) of the local road network is reported to be in good structural condition, with 15 years or more life remaining, up 3% from last year, according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) survey.
Despite a 17% rise in average maintenance budgets, only marginal improvements have been recorded, with nearly one in six local roads having less than five years of structural life left.
AIA chair David Giles said road users should not expect a ‘quick fix’, noting that years of underinvestment and extreme weather have left the network ‘fragile.’
While central government has pledged £1.6bn for local highways this financial year and £7.3bn over the next four years, Giles warned that funding must be sustained to make a real difference.
The AA echoed the concerns, reporting 137,000 pothole-related callouts in just two months, underscoring the nation’s worsening road condition.
Local Government Association chair of the Inclusive Growth Committee, Cllr Tom Hunt, said: ‘More funding being directed towards fixing roads, alongside some longer-term certainty is positive. However, the fact that councils still face an £18.62 billion backlog of local road repairs, shows more action is needed for councils to bring roads up to scratch.’
