In a stark revelation, the latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey for 2024 uncovers the grim reality of the UK’s local road network, as councils grapple with budget constraints and escalating road wear. With only 47% of local roads deemed in ‘good’ structural condition, the report signals a dire warning: the UK may well be driving towards a crumbling future, leaving motorists in the lurch.
Despite an apparent increase in highway maintenance budgets, the reality is a biting one – when adjusted for inflation, local authorities across England, London, and Wales effectively face cuts or freezes in their financial allocations for road upkeep. This year’s survey, capturing responses from 72% of authorities, illuminates the widening chasm between the funds needed and the budgetary reality. With a staggering average shortfall of £7.2 million per authority in the 2023/24 carriageway budget, the road ahead seems fraught with challenges.
The implications of such financial straits are palpable on the ground. An alarming rise in pothole repairs, with 2 million filled this year alone – a 43% increase from the previous year – showcases the symptomatic patches of a deeper infrastructure malaise. Moreover, the frequency of necessary road resurfacing has now plummeted to once every 80 years on average, a far cry from the ideal periodic maintenance needed to keep roads in prime condition.
At the heart of this infrastructural inertia is the burgeoning one-time “catch-up” cost, now pegged at a new record high of £16.3 billion. This figure underscores the monumental effort and investment required to bring the UK’s local roads up to a standard from which they can be maintained cost-effectively. Yet, with the shadow of inflation looming large, the incremental budget increases touted by local authorities dissipate before making any tangible impact on the ground.
The ALARM report’s findings ignite a crucial dialogue on the state of the UK’s local road network and the urgent need for a strategic overhaul. Rick Green, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, emphasises the critical juncture at which the UK stands, stating, “We need to reach the point where local authority highway engineers are able to plan and proactively carry out maintenance work in the most timely and efficient way to the greatest benefit of all road users – rather than just having enough money to address immediate and urgent repairs.”
As motorists navigate the increasingly patchwork quilt of the UK’s roads, the call for sustained and strategic investment has never been louder. The ALARM survey lays bare a stark reality: without a significant shift in approach, the road to recovery for the UK’s local road network remains a distant and bumpy journey.
