Today on Highways Voices, we dig into the detail of this year’s Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance, ALARM survey, which was published on Tuesday 17 March, and showed a record £18.6 billion local road repair backlog.

The report warned road users should not expect a quick fix to the condition of local roads, despite a reported increase in funding, and that carriageway repairs would take 12 years to clear.

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We talk to Asphalt Industry Alliance Chair David Giles who highlights a challenge that directly affects policy decisions, asset management strategies, and funding priorities.  He explores why the backlog continues to grow, how funding strategies could make a bigger impact, and what smarter maintenance approaches could mean for the future resilience of the UK’s road network.

You’ll get a clear understanding of why the UK’s road maintenance backlog continues to grow despite increased funding. Mr Giles gives practical insights into how funding models, such as front-loading investment, could deliver better long-term value and faster network recovery and also discusses preventative maintenance, whole-life road management, and the role of data and standards in improving road condition monitoring.

Read about the survey here.

Next week we return to Intertraffic Amsterdam for more content from that huge show thanks to our sponsors of those podcasts SWARCO, Westcotec, AGD Systems and TRL.

(Picture – Lee Hasler)