The AA spoke out last week, claiming that England’s local roads network cannot take another round of cuts. This comes after latest reports revealed that a third of the nation’s B and C roads were rated in amber or red condition in 2022.  

The Road Conditions in England statistics, published on the 3rd of November 2022, provides data on the condition of all major road networks in the country. This includes reporting on damaged road surfaces, skidding resistance and highway treatments.  

The percentage of B and C classified roads with a red, or unacceptable, rating was 6%. This figure has remained unchanged for the past six years. A further 28% of these local roads had an amber rating.

Furthermore, the report admits that 15% of unclassified roads that required repairs were not considered for maintenance in 2022. 

Despite the stagnant progress in improvement, the government funding for highway maintenance has been frozen at 2021-2022 levels for the next three financial years and may be cut back further late this month. 

Responding to this decision, Head of roads policy Jack Cousens said: “Roads across the country are in an awful state and, with winter just around the corner, the plague of potholes will only spread.

“Local roads are at great risk of becoming dangerous and need significant invest to make them safe. Smooth roads also encourage people to cycle more, which would help reach our net zero targets.

“Our local roads cannot take another round of cuts. The prime minister and chancellor should avoid slashing local road investment later this month.

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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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Lorry drivers are supposed to use specialist sat navs, which provide route guidance that takes into consideration the size of the vehicle before plotting the navigation. These specialist guides plot a course that is fit for the lorry, reviewing bridge heights, narrow roads and country lanes unsuitable for large vehicles. 

Despite the availability of this technology, the LGA has warned that many HGV drivers continue to damage bridges, block small streets, get stuck in villages and crash into bridges; all because they have been poorly guided by a standard car sat nav. 

The LGA is calling on the Goverment to make changes to its forthcoming Transport Bill. They propose a change in the law to compel all HGV drivers to use specialist route guidance to avoid major disruption on local roads. 

The LGA transport spokesperson, Cllr David Renard, commented on the issue at hand: “The spate of accidents we continue to see involving lorries blocking streets, damaging local areas and crashing into bridges on an all too regular basis are causing major disruption to local communities.

“There are more lorry journeys than ever, risking more incidents. HGV mileage grew by nearly 9% over the last year and is back above pre-pandemic levels.

“Councils already work with freight and haulage companies to ensure that lorries use the most suitable routes and roads. However, a minority of drivers continue to follow sat nav systems that take them down routes that are totally inappropriate for the weight and height of their vehicle.

“By making it mandatory for anyone operating an HGV to use a specialist satnav device, the Government can help to reduce the risk of accidents and keep our roads moving.” 

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A new project will investigate the potential benefits of using digital technology on local roads in England. The Digital Roads for Local Roads project will assess the needs and opportunities of local roads, seeking to provide a future vision for widespread digitalisation.

To understand the benefits of digital roads for local areas, the initiative will engage with stakeholders through surveys, workshops and interviews to gather a broad spectrum of opinions from local authorities, professional bodies, academia, consultants and contractors.

The proposed ‘digital roads’ will harness modern technology to change the way in which our roads are designed, managed and used. The new roads will be digitally designed and constructed using an automated machine process – improving efficiency and enhancing safety. 

Once operational, data from these roads will be gathered with sensors before being digitally transmitted to analysts. This will allow them to better predict when roads will require repairs, adjustments or closure with more accurate and up-to-date information. 

Sensors will quickly spot if any maintenance is required, meaning less build-up of damage and easier repairs. Robotic equipment will be deployed for these repairs, completing tasks much faster, using safer techniques and reducing disruption for drivers. 

For example, a new automated system called Aqua Prep will work cleaning concrete structures. The intelligent technology will use half the amount of water to complete the same task as humans, making a laborious task more efficient. 

The proposed digital roads will provide immediate and accurate information on all connected roads, meaning faster reaction times to accidents. Not only will this improve road safety, but will also allow better diversion routes reducing journey disruptions. 

Not to mention, road users will be able to plan ahead before a journey, accessing real-time information about their route online. The Digital Roads for Local Roads project said that while strategic road authorities have worked on digital solutions for years, less work has been done on the local network.

President of ADEPT (Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport) Mark Kemp commented: “This is an exciting project that will allow local authorities and central government to work together harnessing the power of technology on our roads. The project will look at aspects around the meaning of digital roads in the context of a local authority road network, and the benefits and opportunities so that local highway authorities can start to plot their roadmap towards a digital road network.” 

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