Road repair specialist, Asphalt Group Ltd., is calling on the Government to move the narrative away from potholes and focus on delivering ‘Roads that last’.
MD Stephen Cooke says he believes that the road repair industry needs a new culture that focuses on delivering roads that last and provide reliable safe journeys for Britain’s 40 million drivers. Millions of taxpayer cash is being wasted on minimal repairs, closed roads and compensation for pothole damage.
“The industry needs a reset. I am sick of hearing, reading about and seeing potholes. We can solve this now. Plan and deliver and save money. The solutions exist and Asphalt Group can deliver ‘Roads that last’,” he said.
“We need to be honest about why the UK’s roads are in the condition they’re in. It’s a lack of investment in the solutions of the future, and a lack of awareness of what’s available.
“Instead of talking about potholes we should be highlighting the importance of extending the life of roads and the range of solutions that will reinforce surfaces so roads last longer.
“Our roads are strategic assets and we’re not managing or maintaining them properly. Asset management is all about extending the life of the asset, not having to continue to fill in potholes.”
As specialist suppliers and installers, Asphalt Group offer three main solutions: Reinforcement, Preservation and Surface Dressing. These solutions work together sustainably, reducing maintenance and whole life costs.
The latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey by the Asphalt Industry Alliance reports that more than half of the local road network in England and Wales has less than 15 years’ structural life left. The backlog of carriageway repairs is at a record high of £16.3 billion.
Cooke says: “These numbers should be a wake-up call for industry and government to move away from a sticking plaster approach and focus instead on prioritising long-lasting resurfacing and prevention.
“The only way Britain’s 40 million drivers will get the safe, reliable roads they deserve (and pay for), is to put pressure on government. ‘Roads That Last’ should be their new campaigning call to action.”
(Picture – Asphalt Group)
