Commenting on the report by the Public Accounts Committee into
the condition and maintenance of local roads*, Edmund King, AA
president, said; “The poor state of our roads is the number one
transport concern for 96% of drivers. This report reinforces many
things The AA has been calling for. We have highlighted the need
for longer-term, ring-fenced investment using innovation and
technology to permanently repair local roads rather than the
short-term patchwork approach.
“The Committee is right to highlight the inconsistency of
councils inspecting and repairing the highway. Whilst funding
shouldn't just be based on length of roads, equally we need to
ensure that extra funding isn't just given to failing highway
authorities who continue to get it wrong. We welcome the
Secretary of State's comments that she plans to update the
guidance provided to local authorities**, but need this to be
resolved quickly. Road users pay billions in motoring taxes and
deserve far better road infrastructure. The AA attended 643,318
pothole related incidents in 2024, and we estimate pothole damage
cost drivers £579m last year***.
“The PAC report says the Department for Transport should take
overall responsibility for policy and use of taxpayer funds
sufficiently seriously but seems to have over-looked the
important role of private contractors who sit in a position of
almost total control over nearly 60% of the local roads.
“It is a concern that data in some areas is so poor that the
condition of local roads is not fully understood. However, the
new data standards will not be mandatory until April 2026. All
road users deserve a much better service from our local road
network.”
ends
NOTES TO EDITORS
* Condition and maintenance
of Local Roads in England - Committees - UK Parliament
** https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/3301a0d6-7a25-475b-88c4-2706017ad1bf?in=09:48:12
*** National Pothole Day 2025
| AA
