THE backlog of carriageway repairs to fix local roads in England and Wales has reached ￡12.64 billion, compounded by increased costs caused by rising inflation, reports this year's Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM] survey. Published last month by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), the survey highlights the scale of the worsening issue faced by highway engineers who have to make difficult choices about keeping local roads open and safe versus improving overall conditions.Despite an increase in average highway maintenance budgets (up 4% on 2020/21], the proportion being invested in the carriageway itself is down and the reported backlog of carriageway repairs has increased by almost a quarter (23%) on last year's figure to ￡12.64 billion-or ￡61,700 for every mile of local road in England and Wales.AIA chair Rick Green said: 'Local authority highway teams have a legal responsibility to keep our roads safe, but do not have the funds to do so in a cost-effective, proactive way. As a result, while they report some slight improvements in surface conditions, the structure of our roads continues to decline. Although surface repairs have a part to play in extending the life of local roads, short-term fixes, including filling potholes, is indicative of a network that is 'on the edge' and less efficient and sustainable when it comes to materials usage and whole-life carbon emissions.'
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