Councils that fail to prevent potholes ‘should have mandatory training’
Pothole warning issued to UK councils over costly problem
- The RAC and Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) are urging the government to mandate training for councils that neglect road maintenance, contributing to the widespread pothole problem.
- The estimated cost to bring England and Wales's local roads up to standard has reached a record £16.8 billion, largely due to councils' 'reactive-only' approach rather than preventative treatments.
- Data from 2023/24 shows that half of local highway authorities in England did not use any preventative maintenance on their A roads, and 36 per cent failed to do so on other road types.
- Both the RAC and RSTA highlight that ignoring preventative measures leads to higher costs in the long run, as surfaces deteriorate faster and require more expensive repairs.
- The Department for Transport stated it is investing £24 billion over five years, requiring councils to demonstrate progress on preventative maintenance or risk losing funding, while the Local Government Association called for more long-term funding certainty.