The National Motorcyclists Council has revealed the results of a new industry survey, showing that roads need more, and faster, repairs. The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey of local authorities was carried out by the road repair industry body Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) and shows a huge £17bn backlog in carriageway repairs in England and Wales. According to the ALARM report, roads are resurfaced, on average, once every 93 years, while around 106,000 miles of the local road network have less than 15 years of life remaining. A third of those – 34,600 miles – may only have up to five years left.
NMC executive director Craig Carey-Clinch said: “The latest ALARM report should act as a wakeup call for the government. Although the nation’s finances face serious challenges, the AIA noted that the Department for Transport’s 2024 economic appraisal for investing in local highways maintenance sets out that for every additional £1 invested there is an absolute minimum return of £2.20, with analyses identifying typical returns of up to £9.10 at a national level.”