Road networks under more pressure

26/05/2011

Paul McGurk

Increasing traffic, poor weather, rising repair costs and a drop in funding for highways are all set to prove a test for car insurance as England's roads come under pressure.

Public spending watchdog the Audit Commission said the cost of maintaining the country's 236,000-mile network is 50% higher than it was in 2001.

In the next three years there will be a 26% decrease in Government revenue funding for councils and 16% less funding through local transport schemes.

With a 30% rise expected in road traffic by 2025, damage caused to the roads is forcing councils to shell out £50 million each year. The report highlighted how councils can get more for their money, including collaborative initiatives with neighbouring authorities and better asset management. The need for short-term repairs will also be measured against the need for long-term resilience on the network.

Audit Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins said: "Prevention is better than cure, but councils have to consider the safety and insurance risks of damaged surfaces. Roads costs are rising while councils' belts are tightening. Improvement in A roads seems to have stalled, and the road network overall is starting to deteriorate."