Taxpayers 'foot road repairs bill'

20/04/2011

Council taxpayers are forking out £70 million a year to repair botched roadworks, it has been claimed.

Local authorities are being left to foot the bill as contractors employed by utility companies fail to patch up the roads after maintenance work, the Local Government Association (LGA) said.

Two million holes were dug in the roads by workmen in England and Wales last year, according to the LGA, creating a trail of tailbacks and expensive repairs.

Around 360,000 were not repaired to the required standard, leaving vehicles at risk of damage and drivers facing potentially costly car insurance claims.

In many cases, work overran or roads were not restored to their original condition.

The LGA, which represents about 350 councils in England and Wales, is calling for councils to be given stronger powers to ensure roadworks are timed to cause the minimum disruption to motorists, and to guarantee roads are repaired properly once work has finished

Councillor Peter Box, chairman of the LGA's economy and transport board, said: "Contractors should not be allowed to get away with botching road repairs and then leaving council taxpayers to foot the bill.

"Roadworks are a pet hate of all motorists. Many would no doubt be surprised to learn that most road closures don't even result in the condition of roads improving and many actually make them worse."