Highways Asset Management
Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) Survey 2022
Results of the 2022 ALARM survey are provided in the report below.
Industry reaction
Local Government Association (LGA) transport spokesperson, Cllr David Renard: "Despite the efforts of councils, which repair a pothole every 19 seconds, these stark new figures show our local road repair backlog is rising. To clear this growing backlog, councils need further government investment and certainty over future funding over the next decade.
"Roads are the most important transport infrastructure in the country. The ability of councils to improve local transport connectivity and infrastructure is critical to levelling up the country, supporting our long-term economic recovery from the pandemic and reducing transport related carbon emissions to meet the country's net-zero targets."
RAC Head of Roads Policy, Nicholas Lyes: "This year's AIA ALARM report provides a sobering picture of the dire condition of our local road network. Not only has there been a significant increase in the cost to fix the backlog of defects, but worryingly the report also shows that roads are only resurfaced once every 70 years on average, with maintenance mostly focusing on filling potholes which is often nothing more than a sticking plaster.
"The Government must now look at implementing a long-term funding strategy which ringfences a small proportion of existing fuel duty revenue to give local authorities the resources to properly plan maintenance and to ensure our local roads are once again made fit for purpose."
Nick Chamberlin, Policy Manager at British Cycling, said: "Local roads need desperate attention. The Government has been kicking the can down the road for far too long. Potholes and poor road surfaces are a problem that all road users can unite on, but they are particularly dangerous for people who cycle. The problem demands a proper long term funding solution. We support the AIA in its annual call, in support of local councils up and down the country, to have our local roads made a national priority for investment."
The AA's Head of Roads Policy, Jack Cousens said: "This year's ALARM survey reveals a harsh reality where local roads maintenance teams battle a rising tide of road deterioration and councils become increasingly submerged by compensation claims. It is deplorable that yet more billions of pounds are needed to make our roads safe.
"Each year the debate around roads maintenance degenerates into a blame game between local authorities and Government as each claims it is the other's responsibility to resolve. Local and national government must get round the table and create a fully-funded plan that will help make our roads safer. There is now a need to focus available road funding on the most basic need: fixing the roads - for the benefit of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. "Residents rightly complain that their roads are resurfaced once a lifetime at every 70 years. Despite talks of levelling up, road users would simply like the roads levelled out."
Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) Chief Executive, Steve Spender commented: "Highway authorities put great effort (and funding) into dealing with surface defects such as potholes but, as highlighted by this year's ALARM survey, there is not sufficient funding available to deal with the deterioration in the structural condition of the local networks and this remains a matter of concern.
"With a 23% rise in the reported backlog required to bring our local roads up to an acceptable standard, greater investment is needed to redress the balance and enable structural repairs to be undertaken. This is needed to enable local highway engineers to continue to protect their networks."