A new report from the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association for Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) has revealed a 37.5% increase in the cost of running and fixing street lights over the last six months.

The cost of repairing our roads has also risen, with many councils noting a 22% increase in the price of filling a pothole, resurfacing and other common maintenance costs, according to the study. 

The budgets of local authorities, which include funding for building new roads and local infrastructure, have seen an estimated rise of 21%. This has escalated the cost of delivering investment in local areas.

The LGA say that global issues, such as the war in Ukraine, are responsible for driving up the costs of bitumen, electricity, steel, lighting, cement, salt and other resources, and urged the new prime minister to help mitigate these pressures.

Cllr David Renard, a transport spokesperson for the LGA, said: “As this stark new analysis shows, councils across the country are facing unprecedented increased costs to repair our local roads, keep our street lights switched on and invest in improved local infrastructure.

“Global pressures, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as increasing inflation and a shortage of materials have all provided the perfect storm for councils and piled pressure on already stretched local budgets.

“To tackle this issue, the new Government must cover these increased costs for councils or risk road conditions getting worse or reductions in other services.

“Only with adequate long-term funding – to cover increased cost pressures and invest in local services – and the right powers, can councils deliver for our communities, tackle the climate emergency, and level up all parts of the country.”

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Research from the RAC has shown that existing junction boxes exhibit design flaws that may see drivers facing unjust fines if left unchanged. 

The markings, which are used at junctions to prevent gridlock, have been found to trap drivers through no fault of their own. Some have also been poorly maintained so that drivers will have difficulty seeing where the markings start and finish. 

Head of RAC roads policy, Nicholas Lyes, said: “junctions have been installed in completely the wrong places, boxes are larger than they should be and ones where buildings or street furniture obstruct drivers from seeing where boxes end, making it impossible to assess whether there is enough space beyond the junction for their vehicle to fit into.”

Surprisingly, there are no current legal requirements for authorities to meet standardised design criteria, which will prove problematic when the new enforcement law comes into practice. 

On the back of their findings, the RAC has appealed to the Government to improve its guidance on yellow box rules. They have called for changes to clarify the specific purpose of box junctions and to issue standard design regulations, maintenance guidance, and enforcement directives. 

Sam Wright, the chartered engineer for Transport for London, said: “The key design principle is that yellow boxes should be no bigger than is necessary to prevent vehicles obstructing through movements. They are not designed for, and serve no purpose in, situations where vehicles are travelling in the same direction.

“The second main condition is that drivers should have adequate visibility beyond the box to be able to make a clear judgement before entering it. It’s not just that drivers need to see the end of the box, they need to see that there is space beyond the box for their vehicle to fit without any part of it overhanging. In the case of a car that will be five to six metres. For larger vehicles, it will be up to 15 metres. 

“I think designers should have to take a car out in a rush hour to see if they can negotiate the box without stopping, before insisting that others do the same.”

Despite the potential pitfalls, the research showed that 57% of drivers are generally in favour of yellow box junction enforcement. However, these changes could result in confusion and poor outcomes for drivers, as well as a high number of appeals. 

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