Backlog of carriageway repairs is almost £2bn in the region

The figures, from this year's Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance survey report, spell more misery for road users.

Transcript

00:00A pothole has been filled every three minutes every day for 10 years in the

00:05northwest but still the backlog of carriageway repairs is almost two

00:09billion pounds in the region. The figures from this year's annual local

00:13authority road maintenance survey report spell more misery for road users with

00:18nearly one in six miles of the local road network reported to have less than

00:23five years structural life remaining. Meanwhile roads are only resurfaced on

00:27average once every 61 years in the northwest. The report blames years of

00:32underfunding. The data from Asphalt Industry Alliance reveals local

00:37authorities would have needed an extra 120 million pounds last year to maintain

00:42their network to their own target conditions and prevent further

00:46deterioration. Alliance chair David Giles said local authorities do their best

00:52with the resources available. Nevertheless they've told us they need

00:55their budgets to more than double for the next five to ten years if they're

00:59going to be able to address the backlog of repairs. Over the past three decades

01:04the reports revealed a repeated pattern of short-term cash injections in an

01:09effort to stem the accelerating decline in road conditions followed by longer

01:13periods of cuts and underfunding. There needs to be a complete change in

01:18mindset away from short-term to longer-term funding commitments

01:22according to David Giles. The annual local authority road maintenance survey

01:26report produced by the Asphalt Industry Alliance is in its 30th year. It is

01:31widely respected throughout the industry and local and national government as

01:36well as the most authoritative and comprehensive study into local road

01:41maintenance funding and condition in England and Wales.