ALARM survey costs local roads repair backlog at £12bn

The Asphalt Industry Alliance has warned that the backlog of carriageway repairs to fix local roads in England and Wales has reached £12.64 billion, compounded by increased costs caused by rising inflation.

The ALARM survey highlights the scale of the worsening issue faced by highway engineers who have to make difficult choices about keeping local roads open and safe versus improving overall conditions. This year’s survey show that, despite an increase in average highway maintenance budgets, which have increased four per cent on 2020/21, the proportion being invested in the carriageway itself is down and the reported backlog of carriageway repairs has increased by almost a quarter on last year’s figure to £12.64 billion – or £61,700 for every mile of local road in England and Wales.

The AIA says that local authorities would have needed an extra £1 billion last year just to reach their own target road conditions, before even thinking about tackling the backlog of repairs.

Rick Green, chair of the AIA, said: “Local authority highway teams have a legal responsibility to keep our roads safe, but do not have the funds to do so in a cost effective, proactive way. As a result, while they report some slight improvements in surface conditions, the structure of our roads continues to decline. Although surface repairs have a part to play in extending the life of local roads, short-term fixes, including filling potholes, is indicative of a network that is ‘on the edge’ and less efficient and sustainable when it comes to materials usage and whole-life carbon emissions.”

The ALARM survey reports local roads funding and conditions based on information provided directly by those responsible for its maintenance. The 2022 findings are based upon a record number of responses from 73 per cent of local authorities in England and Wales.

The backlog describes the amount that would be needed – as a one-off catch-up cost – to bring the network up to condition that would allow it to be managed cost effectively and sustainably going forward as part of a proactive asset management approach.