A new approach to road maintenance which will focus on a greater
use of technology has been outlined by the Infrastructure
Minister.
was speaking as a draft Road
Maintenance Strategy was published for consultation.
Minister Kimmins has also welcomed the first digital stock-take
of the road network which is already underway.
The draft Road Maintenance Strategy sets out a clear vision for
how the Department will manage the road network over the coming
years. The strategy focuses on three principles: higher
quality maintenance; targeted maintenance and sustainable
maintenance.
The road network here consists of over 25,922km of public roads,
9,700 footways, 5,800 bridges and 290,000 streetlights and is an
asset worth approximately £36bn.
Speaking at the consultation launch, the Minister
said: “It has become apparent over recent years of
the necessity to develop a new approach to how the road network
is maintained.
“At the heart of the new strategy is a commitment to
raise the standards of maintenance ensuring that interventions
are timely and durable.
“We will be targeting our resources where they are needed
most and using new technology such as digital surveys to assess
road conditions to deliver a sustainable service that meets the
future needs of road users.”
Welcoming the roll-out of the first digital road survey to be
undertaken across the north, said: “This
survey which is an integral part of the new strategy, will give
us detailed condition assessments for carriageways and footways
to enable our road maintenance teams to identify areas requiring
immediate attention and enable future data-driven investment
decisions to be made.
“The use of technology will also support our active
travel plans and assist us in the production of carbon management
plans in support of the Climate Change Act.
“I encourage everyone to share their views on this
new approach, so that we invest in our infrastructure assets for
the wider benefit of all.”
The consultation opens today and runs until 30 January
2026 and is available at New draft Roads Maintenance
Strategy | Department for Infrastructure
Notes to editors:
1. Gaist and Essency have been appointed to take
forward the first road network digital survey.
2. Gaist is a leader in road condition data collection,
using high-definition imagery and AI to produce detailed,
georeferenced maps and detailed datasets.
3. Essency Consulting specialises in asset and project
management, offering extensive experience in optimizing road
infrastructure management.
