UK’s roads ‘on the edge’ as bill for pothole repair backlog tops £12bn

Clearing the UK’s backlog of pothole repairs would now cost more than £12 billion, according to a new report.

The annual Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) from the Asphalt Industry Alliance, says that the £12bn is simply to repair existing problems and bring the country’s roads up to a standard where they can be managed cost effectively and sustainably, and doesn’t include further upgrades.

The AIA’s chair warned that the road network is “on the edge” as councils battle to stay on top of essential repairs rather than investing in long-term improvements.

The report says that despite highway maintenance budgets increasing 4%, the proportion being spent on surface repairs has fallen and engineers are faced with the choice between keeping roads open and safe or improving overall conditions.

According to the report, the backlog of repairs has risen by 23% in a single year and councils report they would have needed an additional £1bn last year just to achieve their maintenance targets, without tackling any of the backlog of repairs.

Rick Green, AIA chair, said: “Local authority highway teams have a legal responsibility to keep our roads safe, but do not have the funds to do so in a cost effective, proactive way.