25 years of ALARM and still no silver lining for UK local roads

UK |

Despite it being a step in the right direction, the UK Chancellor’s additional £2.5 billion pothole pledge is not enough to plug the gap in local road maintenance budgets, let alone the rising backlog of repairs, according to the 25th ALARM (Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance) report.

Published by Eurobitume UK and its Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) partner, the Mineral Products Association, this widely respected annual survey of local authorities in England and Wales revealed local authorities had to cope with an average 16% drop in their overall annual highway maintenance budget.

ALARM 2020 reports that a stop/start approach to funding over many decades has led to increased budget shortfalls and declining structural road conditions – with 7,240 fewer miles of roads classed as structurally in ‘GOOD’ condition than reported last year. Local authority respondents now put the one-time catch-up cost – the amount they say is needed to bring the network up to a condition where it could be maintained cost effectively going forward – at more than £11 billion.

Rick Green, Chair of Asphalt Industry Alliance said: “We recognise that ALARM is being launched at a time of unprecedented challenges and understandably resources will need to be prioritised accordingly. However, local roads will continue to be needed to keep communities connected and support the economy.”

The full 2020 ALARM report can be downloaded from here.