£1 billion to repair roads, bridges and tunnels

England's local roads are facing a record £16.81 billion repair backlog, with over half nearing the end of their structural life. As the government announces a £1 billion investment to fix ageing infrastructure, councils warn that only long-term funding will reverse decades of decline

In 2024, local authority-managed roads made up 99 per cent of road length and in 2023 carried 66 per cent of motor traffic vehicle miles in England.

The state of the roads

In 2025, the AIA’s Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) Survey Report found that the backlog of carriageway repairs in England and Wales had reached new heights at almost £17 billion – the highest figure in 30 years of reporting. The report found that £16.81 billion is now needed as a one-off, for local authorities to bring the network up to their ‘ideal’ conditions and the work would take 12 years to complete.

The same report found that 48 per cent of the local road network is reported to be in good structural condition, with the remaining 52 per cent stated to have less than 15 years’ structural life remaining.

Last year, 1.9 million potholes were filled and more than £1.08 billion has been spent filling 17.5 million potholes over the last decade.

David Giles, chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance said: “Over the past three decades ALARM has reported a repeated pattern of short-term cash injections in an effort to stem the accelerating decline in road conditions, followed by longer periods of underfunding. And, the scale of the problem has reached new heights, with a reported £16.81 billion now needed to tackle the backlog of repairs.

“Almost all local authorities have told us that, in their opinion, there has been no improvement to their network over the last year, with 65 per cent stating that conditions have declined: a view no doubt shared by road users.”

He continued: “There needs to be a complete change in mindset away from short-term to long-term funding commitments. Local authorities need a minimum five-year funding horizon and there needs to be a substantial, sustained increase in investment with budgets ring-fenced specifically for local roads maintenance. Investing to save in local roads – which support communities and enable connectivity – will allow local authorities to plan and provide better value for money while helping kickstart the Government’s stated economic growth plans.”

Poor road conditions cost drivers an estimated £1.7 billion annually in vehicle repairs, insurance claims and delays. For haulage firms, bridge weight restrictions and potholes translate into longer delivery times and higher operational costs – impacts that ripple across the economy.

Government funding

The government has announced £1 billion to repair transport infrastructure and future proof the road network.

Around Britain, around 3,000 bridges are currently unable to support the heaviest vehicles, which restricts access for agricultural and freight transport.

The number of bridge collapses has also risen.

The Structures Fund is designed to inject cash into repairing bridges, flyovers and tunnels and ensure other transport infrastructure is both more resilient to extreme weather events and to the demands of modern transport.

The investment is part of the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and comes after the Spending Review, in which £15.6 billion was announced to enable local leaders to build long awaited transport projects.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves, said: “When it comes to investing in Britain’s renewal, we’re going all in by going up against the painful disruption of closed bridges, crossings and flyovers, and ensure they’re fit to serve working people for decades to come.

“This is a turning point for our national infrastructure, and we’re backing it with funding to support thousands of jobs and connect communities, delivering on our Plan for Change.”     It is hoped that the investment will address the immediate risks over the next five years, as well as create skilled jobs in construction, engineering and maintenance.

Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “We’re finally getting on with the Lower Thames Crossing – a crucial project to drive economic growth, that has been stuck in planning limbo for far too long.

“This project is essential for improving the resilience of a key freight route and is critical to our long term trade with Europe. It will speed up the movement of goods from South East England to the Midlands and the North, crucial to thousands of jobs and businesses.

“Our structures fund will make long-overdue investments to repair ageing structures across the country, speeding up journeys, restoring pride and delivering our Plan for Change to boost the economy and support regional growth.”

Local government reaction

Following the announcement, Cllr Adam Hug, chair of the Local Government Association’s Local Infrastructure and Net Zero Board, said: “It is good that government has recognised the near-£17 billion local roads repair backlog. Councils who manage local roads will need to receive the clear majority of the £24 billion committed to all roads over the next five years and beyond to make our local road network more resilient and create better value. The new £1 billion Structures Fund to repair bridges, flyovers and collapsed roads also fills a vital gap in councils’ roads funding.”

Angela Jones, president of ADEPT, said: “ADEPT welcomes the recent announcement of £1 billion in government funding to repair and renew Britain’s ageing road structures.

“This investment is desperately needed and represents a significant step forward in addressing the infrastructure crisis facing local authorities across the country.

“The publication of the Infrastructure Strategy provides an important opportunity to understand the government’s long-term vision for addressing the UK’s infrastructure challenges – we look forward to receiving more detail about how this will support local authorities in delivering essential improvements to our transport networks when it is published.”

This new wave of investment marks a vital shift toward recognising the long-standing infrastructure challenges facing local roads and bridges across the country. With £1 billion dedicated to repairing and strengthening key transport assets, and broader commitments outlined in the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, local authorities are being given the tools to fix our roads.