READING BOROUGH COUNCIL would need at least another £10.7 million just to plug every pothole in the town, according to a new survey.
Every year, the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) asks local authorities about the state of the roads for its Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) report. And the results are, well, alarming.
Across the south east, local authorities told AIA that its highways teams were receiving just two-thirds of the money needed to stop roads from deteriorating any further and, sending a shiver down chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s spine, more than £3 billion is needed to fix a backlog of repairs.
It is estimated that even if the money came through, it would take 14 years just to repair these roads.
And it gets worse: 16% of the road network – one in seven roads – has an estimated five years’ structural life left, meaning things will get worse before they get better.
The news will come of little surprise to Reading’s motorists, with many regularly complaining of potholes cropping up across the town, with hotspots including the junction of Queen’s Road with Sidmouth Street, parts of London Road, and other major through routes in the town.
Rick Green, AIA Chair, said local authorities aren’t to blame: “Highway engineers can only do so much with the resources they are given and should be applauded for the steps they take to keep roads safe.
“Potholes and the condition of our local roads remain key issues for the public and the Chancellor went someway to recognising this in his Spring Budget. But a share of the additional £200m one-off payment for local roads in England, while welcome, is just not enough.
“It represents around 16% of the average shortfall in local authorities’ annual budgets in the South East and will do little to improve overall structural conditions and stem further decline.
“We all appreciate that there are difficult choices to make with demands and pressures on the public purse coming from every area, but not investing in local road maintenance only leads to worsening conditions, which impact on other locally provided public services, a rising bill to fix the problem and more road user complaints.”
Park ward Green Party Councillor Josh Williams said: “Labour keeps telling us we’ve never had greater investment in our roads, but anyone who drives or tries to cycle in Reading knows the reality is very bumpy indeed.
“If we could fill potholes with Labour press releases on this we’d be problem free, but unfortunately, it needs joined-up thinking at a national and local level, priority for sustainable transport, and real investment of time, effort, and money.”
Reading Borough Council was contacted for a comment.
The full ALARM survey can be downloaded from: www.asphaltuk.org
