News & Features
The Condition of UK Roads
Posted in General News on Friday, January 20th, 2023
The AA surveyed 12,000 motorists from across the UK to gather information about the state of the nation’s local roads. More than half (53%) of those living in the Northwest and Southeast of England said the condition of their local roads were terrible. London was deemed to have the best kept residential roads in England as only 42% of the respondents from the capitol said that their local roads were in dire need of repair.
Outside of England exactly half of the respondents from Scotland (50%) said that the condition of their local roads was terrible. In contrast just 37% of the respondents from Northern Ireland said their roads were in a bad condition. The AA is concerned that councils could decide to cut back on road maintenance spending allowing the roads to get even worse. On rainy days since November AA patrols have been called out to an additional 225 breakdowns each day due to potholes. Jack Cousens, Head of Roads Policy for the AA, said: “Step out your front door and you will not have to travel too far to find a pothole. Years of underinvestment in the nation’s roads means we are seeing more potholes develop than ever before. While the Northwest and Southeast top the charts this time, most communities will say the main roads are usually in pretty good shape, but the minor and residential roads are where the potholes create a menace (reflected in official road repair expenditure statistics). Many of these are used for Active Travel and exercise, such as cycling. Dimmed streetlights add to the threat in the dark.”
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trev tompkins
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
this never ceases to amaze and annoy me. what the hell do we pay road fund licenses for?? the name speaks volumes, with the monies the govnt takes off roadusers the uk's highways should be the best in the world instead of which, they rank very low. if every driver with held the road tax money then the govnt may sit up and listen
Minati
Friday, January, 20th, 2023
There are too many potholes in my area and after the icy spell we had in Dec, the situation has got a lot worse. Even simple things like road markings are hardly visible and the councils are not doing anything about it. The only things they are working on is creating useless cycle lanes which hardly anyone uses.
Andy Grey Rider
Saturday, January, 21st, 2023
You'll just have to drive slower then. As mine is a lease vehicle I am not too bothered about the damage caused by refuges, chicanes and speed bumps. It just all adds to the twisting of my already irreparable spinal cord. The roads have become narrower, slowing vehicles creating higher pollution when one solution creates another problem. They just cannot help themselves tripping over each other making a mess of our towns and cities. There's no forward thinking of the consequences to their daft actions. They don't live in the areas they've created their latest destruction of society. It's all twee sat in their plush offices thousands of miles away in a middle eastern desert with the erroneous Google Maps for company. They've no idea the trouble they're causing. The roads are just one piece of a never to be finished puzzle because the history is discarded by the former planner and a clean slate is devised by the next. Never learning a thing. Whilst we breathe in the nano plastics of the silica from a tyres abrasive contact with the road. I cough up plastic every day and you are worried about a hole!
Ian Hemmings
Saturday, January, 21st, 2023
Local councils need to improve and do more regular checks, so the roads can be improved.
Brian Bremer
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
Roads in the Uk are a disgrace, they are worse than cobbled streets in France. At least there, they make cars to suit the conditions, here all we get is theft of our Licence money, theft of taxes from fuel duty. It all gets spent on bailing out our forlorn system. But ultimately, no roads, no work. Then what HM. Government?
Robert Lewis
Monday, January, 30th, 2023
I have found in my area of Bromley especially bad on all roads, a cyclist hit a deep wide pothole and managed to stay in control (just) of his bicycle as I was passing him, this time no injury caused, are these Councils waiting for someone to get injured or worse before anything is done? I'm sure it would cost them more in compensation than to repair the road surfaces?