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Industry bodies say the government missed a ‘golden opportunity’ for road repair during the pandemic

23 November 2021

New figures from the Department for Transport reveal that 23 per cent of B and C roads in the UK, as well as small unclassified roads, were in need of repair in 2020 last year.

A concerning percentage of minor and rural roads in Derbyshire, the west London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Bath & North East Somerset are in the ‘red’ category for road surface damage (68, 50 and 42 per cent respectively).

In comparison, major A-roads and motorways managed by National Highways were found to be in better condition, with 7 per cent and 4 per cent respectively falling into the ‘red’ category. 

AA spokesperson Jack Cousens said, “While the Government claims road conditions are ‘stable’, the harsh reality is they are stuck in a rut.

“Road users don’t have to travel too far from home to see a plethora of potholes [and] fractured tarmac which make driving and cycling uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst.”

Simon Williams of the RAC also added that the government had missed a ‘golden opportunity’ to catch up on much-needed road repairs during the pandemic when traffic levels were low. 

In the recent Budget 2021, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced £8billion of government funding for repairs and upgrades to major A roads, but the Asphalt Industry Alliance fears that this will not be sufficient. 

It estimates that fixing all potholes and getting roads back to a ‘reasonable, steady state’ could cost around £11.1billion and take 11 years to clear.

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