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Survey points to Alarm-ing state of local roads

17 March 2005

The annual Alarm survey into the state of roads in England and Wales has provided some worrying evidence of a lack of budget allocation.

According to the survey, all local authorities in Wales and 89 per cent of those in England believe that under funding for road maintenance is threatening the safety of road users.

The research indicates that English authorities less than half the required budget for local road maintenance, whilst Welsh councils have to make do on a paltry 28 per cent of the funds they need.

The Alarm survey suggests that just £1 is spent per metre per year in Wales, compared with £2 in most of England and £6 in London.

"The Alarm survey makes for uncomfortable reading. Persistent under funding of road maintenance has led to a situation whereby 100 per cent of local authorities in Wales and almost 90 per cent in England believe this creates a real threat to road-user safety," said Edmund King, executive director of the RAC.

"There is still a massive shortfall in terms of what engineers need to maintain our roads adequately. Surely, this is an accident waiting to happen."

Adequate Motor Insurance cover is vital in the event of such an accident.

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