The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has said the challenge of improving the local network goes beyond filling in potholes.
Rick Green, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance said he was ‘optimistic’ that the Government’s recent £8.3 billion extra money for roads could improve their condition over the next decade.
Commenting on National Pothole Day, he said: “While an annual National Pothole Day helps to raise awareness of the below-target condition of our vital roads1, the challenge of improving the local road network goes beyond simply filling in potholes.
“We are optimistic that the Government’s recent £8.3 billion commitment to local roads could improve conditions and we agree with the Pothole Partnership’s view that the funding allocation needs to be front-loaded so local highway engineers can also start addressing the backlog of necessary structural repairs now.”
“This upfront investment would then enable local authorities to implement planned preventative maintenance programmes going forward. This would support a lower carbon, whole-life approach to local highway maintenance, helping to deliver sustained improvements and enhanced network resilience, saving money over the long-term, and ensuring our local roads are able to support future challenges.”
The Asphalt Industry’s (AIA) Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey report 2023 highlighted that resurfacing works now take place on average once every 116 years – with local authorities across England and Wales needing an average of an extra £7.7 million per annum in funding each, just to reach their own target road conditions and prevent further deterioration.
