Roads in Wales and England at breaking point with £16.3 billion repair backlog

Wales and England are grappling with an unprecedented pothole crisis, putting the local road infrastructure at risk of collapse.

The latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) highlights a critical juncture for local roads, signalling that a crisis point has been reached.

In the current financial term, councils in England and Wales are faced with the daunting task of repairing an astonishing two million potholes—a 43% increase from the previous year and the highest figure since the 2015-16 period.

The survey forecasts a bleak outlook, warning that without prompt and ongoing intervention, more than half of the local road network could fail within the next 15 years.

The backlog of repairs has skyrocketed to a record £16.3 billion, a 16% rise from £14 billion just a year earlier, imposing a hefty financial burden on local authorities.

This deteriorating state of local roads impacts daily life, raising the cost and inconvenience of vehicle damage, and could lead to accidents, putting cyclists and other vulnerable road users at risk.

This issue has become the top complaint among local politicians, even though funding for highways teams is insufficient.

Rick Green, Chair of the AIA, stated, “Whilst local authorities have slightly more funds this year, inflation has eroded their purchasing power so that in real terms, less is being done.”

He highlighted the compounded issue of extreme weather events accelerating the deterioration rate of local roads. Over 107,000 miles of local roads are projected to need complete reconstruction in the next 15 years, despite nearly £140 million being spent on filling two million potholes in the past year.

Green emphasised the necessity for increased funding, asserting, “Even with the Government’s Network North funding, the decline is unlikely to halt.” He mentioned the Transport Secretary’s promise of £8.3 billion over 11 years, intended to resurface 5,000 miles of local roads, as falling short given the 34,000 miles of roads already in poor condition.

Edmund King, President of AA, noted, “Our breakdown data shows that 2023 was the worst year for potholes for five years. The latest ALARM report shows just how much is needed to simply get our roads up to standard.”

“Arguably the road network is a local council’s biggest asset, but not enough planned investment and repairs are being made to make streets safer and smoother for drivers and those on two wheels.”

“Resurfacing occurs on average once every 80 years – making it a once in a lifetime event.”

Duncan Dollimore, Head of Campaigns at We Are Cycling UK, called for increased long-term funding for local authorities to shift from reactive to proactive road maintenance.

He said: “The facts and figures set out within ALARM 2024 tell a story which will resonate with road users nationwide.”

“Many are familiar with the deteriorating condition of their local roads – they’ll have witnessed the recurring cycle of potholes and cracks appearing, being patched up, and re-appearing.”

“The estimated £16.3 billion needed to fix local roads is obviously a huge amount of money.”

“However, it’s important to remember that the Government initially planned to spend £27.4 billion on the strategic road network between 2020 and 2025.”

“It’s time the Government heard the alarm bells and prioritised the maintenance of local roads.”

“Increased long-term funding for local authorities is also crucial to enable councils to be proactive and properly plan their road maintenance, rather than having to resort to reactive crisis management.”