Government Slammed as RAC Report Reveals Decline in Road Resurfacing

The state of the UK’s roads has reached its lowest point in five years, according to a recent analysis by the RAC. The report highlights a significant reduction in the number of miles of road being resurfaced or improved, raising concerns about the overall decline in road maintenance across the country.

The RAC’s analysis found a 29% decrease in the number of miles of road completely resurfaced from 2017/2018 to 2021/2022. In 2017/2018, 1588 miles were resurfaced, compared to only 1123 miles in 2021/2022. Additionally, the report revealed that 31% of the 153 road authorities sampled by the Department for Transport (DfT) did not carry out any resurfacing works, while 51% did not perform surface-dressing work, which extends the lifespan of a road without full resurfacing. Surface dressing itself was also down by 34% compared to 2017/2018 levels.

These findings come in the wake of news earlier this year that council compensation to road users affected by road defects could have repaired 340,000 potholes. The RAC report further highlights the need for increased investment in road maintenance, as local authorities in England would have required an average of an extra £7.7 million each last year to meet their target road conditions. It is now estimated that it would cost £14.02 billion and take 11 years to bring the network up to a standard that can be efficiently maintained.

Simon Williams, the RAC’s head of policy, expressed concern over the decline in road improvement work, stating that it is causing potholes to appear in the first place. He emphasized the need for the government to provide more funding to address this issue.

The report also identified the council areas that have made the most effort to resurface their roads. Kent topped the list, resurfacing 29 miles of its 502-mile A-road network, followed by Southend-on-Sea in Essex, which resurfaced 21 miles. Lincolnshire was found to have surface dressed most of its A-roads, covering 50 miles out of 661.

Rick Green, chairman of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, called for a longer-term funding horizon from the central government and more ringfencing of the highway budget to improve road conditions. He believes that this would enable local authority engineers to plan effectively and implement more efficient works to protect and enhance the resilience of the local road network.

In response to the report, a spokesperson from the DfT stated that it is the responsibility of local authorities to maintain their highways. The government has invested over £5 billion from 2020 to 2025, with an additional £200 million announced in the recent budget, to resurface roads across the country. The spokesperson also mentioned that new rules have been introduced to address utility companies leaving potholes behind after street works.

The RAC report suggests several potential solutions to improve road conditions, including asphalt preservation techniques that seal and maintain roads to prevent water ingress and deterioration. This technique is already used by private companies on certain roads and has proven to be cost-effective.

Paul Boss, chief executive of the Road Surface Treatments Association, emphasized the importance of preventative maintenance on roads in green and amber conditions. He believes that surface treatments can keep these roads safe and serviceable, allowing authorities to focus their resources on red roads that require high investment. Surface treatments would also reduce traffic delays by shortening repair times from days to hours, eliminating the need for road closures.

In a bid to address road-surface defects, the DfT has proposed a £5.5 billion clampdown, including performance-based inspections to be carried out after road works. The cost of these inspections will be borne by the responsible firm, with additional funding of £200 million allocated to pothole repairs.

The RAC report serves as a wake-up call to the government and local authorities to prioritize road maintenance and invest in long-term solutions. With the current decline in road resurfacing and the increasing number of potholes, it is crucial to take immediate action to ensure the safety and efficiency of the UK’s road network.