The condition of British roads is steadily deteriorating, resulting in injuries for cyclists and expensive repair bills for motorists.
Government Faces Growing Pressure to Address Road Conditions
A survey by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) found that the government is facing increasing pressure to enhance the UK’s infrastructure after a record number of drivers have expressed concerns over its conditions following years of underinvestment.
Government Funding Cut by 40%
Councils, which manage 98% of the roads, saw central government funding for local services reduced by 40% in real terms between 2010 and 2020.
Potholes Cost Motorists an Average of £ 460
According to the RAC research, potholes cost motorists an average of £ 460, with broken suspension springs, wheel damage, and punctures being the most frequently reported damages in the last twelve months.
Previous Government Pledged to Fix Roads
The previous Conservative government pledged last year to spend £ 8.3 billion to repair local roads and resurface almost 5,000 miles of local carriageway.
Funds From HS2 Rail Line to Be Used to Amend Infrastructure
They had stipulated that the funds would be used instead of the scrapped northern leg of the HS2 rail line between Birmingham and Manchester.
Labour Pledged to Address Roads During Campaign
Labour, too, pledged when campaigning to give councils an extra £64 million a year to fix an additional 1 million potholes annually.
New Government Back Tracking on Road Fund
However, the new government under Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for cutting infrastructure funding to repair the state of its inherited public finances.
£16 Billion to Address the Backlog of Road Repairs
A recent report by the industry body, Asphalt Industry Alliance, revealed that it would cost approximately £16 billion to address the backlog of road repairs in 2024 instead of the £14 billion estimated last year.
Road Conditions Are Motorist’s Main Concerns
The RAC survey found that 56 percent of 2,700 motorists that participated had put the poor conditions of the council-maintained roads as their leading concern, 21 percent ahead of the ever-rising insurance of a vehicle.
Roads Believed to Be Worse Than the Previous Year
A further 73 percent of drivers in the survey believed that the roads were worse than the previous year, up from 67 percent last year.
Concerns on Condition Ahead of Insurance and Fuel Costs
The head of the RAC, Simon Williams, said, “It is absolutely remarkable that, on average, drivers we surveyed are far more concerned about the state of their local roads this year than they are about either the cost of motor insurance – which has been rocketing in recent years- or the cost of fuel which is still at an uncomfortably high level.”
Dire Situation for UK Roads
He added, “If this doesn’t underline the seriousness of the situation we now find ourselves in, we’re not sure what does.”
Compensation Claims Denied
Several people have tried to claim compensation for the damages incurred by the potholes, but not only is it time-consuming, but they are finding that the claims are being denied.
Highway Act Protects Against Payouts
A rule in the Highway Act states that if a company has taken reasonable steps to ensure a safe road, it does not have to pay damages to road users.
National Highways Spokesperson Say They Carry out Inspections
A spokesperson from the National Highways has said, “We carry out regular carriageway inspections, and any dangerous or safety critical defects are made safe either immediately or within 24 hours.”
Rebuilding Britain Includes Fixing the State of the Roads
A spokesperson from the Department of Transport has said, “Rebuilding Britain means modernising our transport infrastructure, and we are absolutely committed to tackling the poor state of our local roads. We will maintain and renew the network, including supporting local authorities to fix up 1m more potholes a year, to ensure our roads serve users, are safe and tackle congestion.”
Pay Now or Pay More Later
Williams has emphasised his disapproval of the road conditions and urges the government to provide more funding, saying, “The less we spend on our roads now, the more it will cost us in the future.”
Diversions and Road Closure Is Disrupting Day-To-Day Life
Road closures due to potholes and planned road works are disrupting everyday life, with people being diverted and needing repairs due to the state of the road. It’s time this is properly addressed once and for all.
Funding for Road Repairs Needs to Be Allocated
With the new Budget being presented in October, one can only hope that concessions have been made to allocate funds for repairing the roads.
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