MPs have called for the Government to commit to a front-loaded, five-year funding settlement to help councils in England repair potholes on local roads.
A new report by the Transport Committee recognises the risk and inconvenience presented by potholes, which can damage vehicles and cause injury to road users – especially cyclists and motorcyclists – as well as undermine local economies and waste taxpayers’ money.
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Local Government revenue has fallen by around a quarter since 2010, with no ring-fencing for local roads funding, meaning money has been diverted to other issues, such as social care.
This lack of funding, the Transport Committee says, has caused councils to make short-term, reactive decisions on local road maintenance, and this is far less effective that taking a proactive approach to maintenance.
The Transport Committee wants to see the Treasury decide on the exact nature of the settlement after consulting with local authorities to ensure the funding model works for them and encourages innovation, collaboration and good practice. In addition, the Transport Committee says the Department for Transport (DfT) should make it easier for the public to report road concerns and access real-time updates on road conditions.
Lillian Greenwood MP, chair of the Transport Committee, said: “Local roads are the arteries of our villages, towns and cities, but most people won’t have to go further than the local shops to spot a pothole that poses a risk of injury or damage.
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“Local authorities are in the invidious position of having to rob Peter to pay Paul. Cash-strapped councils are raiding their highways and transport budgets to fund core services.”
She added: “Almost every journey begins and ends on local roads: the DfT must work with the public and local authorities to make them safe.”
The AA’s latest Populus survey saw 81 per cent of 20,086 drivers say that potholes on local roads are causing problems. The organisation’s head of roads policy, Jack Cousens, commented: “Local councils have seen their budgets stretched and cut back for several years, and despite a good effort last year, ultimately they are losing the battle on potholes. According to the latest AIA Alarm survey, residential roads in England are resurfaced once every 99 years – a truly once in a lifetime situation!
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“While potholes can be a very costly inconvenience for drivers, they can be tragically fatal for cyclists and motorcyclists. The only way councils will get on top of the conditions of local roads is with the help of a large scale and continuous funding project.
“Currently, it would take a decade to get our local roads back to where they should be, so a fully funded five-year project would go a long way towards smoothing out our streets.”
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