Roads in the North East are resurfaced fewer than once every 72 years

The ALARM survey, published today (March 21, 2023) by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), reports that local authority highway teams in the North East only received just over half (55 per cent) of what they needed to stop local roads from further deterioration and approaching £700million is needed to fix the backlog of carriageway repairs in the region.

The data shows that in the last year, the gap between what local authorities in the North East received and what they said they would have needed to keep roads to their own target conditions and prevent further decline is now £102.0million, an average of £8.5million per authority.

Read more: A guide to what was announced in the Budget and what it means for you

Rick Green, AIA Chair, said: “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 20 per cent of the average shortfall in local authorities’ annual budgets in the North East and will do little to improve overall structural conditions and stem further decline.”

An extra £200 million will be allocated to help fix potholes the chancellor has announced in the Spring Budget.

Read more: North East charity calls out 'inherent inequalities' in spring budget

The chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the Government's Potholes Fund will now stand at £700 million for the 2023-24 financial year.

This year’s ALARM survey received responses from 83 per cent of local authorities in the North East.

It reports local road funding and conditions based on information provided directly by those responsible for its maintenance.

The findings of ALARM 2023, which relate to the 2022/23 financial year, show that in the North East:

• It would now cost £683.8million to tackle the backlog and bring the network up to a standard from which it can be maintained efficiently and cost effectively going forward.

• 21 per cent of the network (2,000 miles) is already assessed as having fewer than 5 years’ structural life remaining.

• The equivalent of 595 potholes are filled in the region each day.

• Roads are only resurfaced on average fewer than once every 72 years.

Read more: Who are the winners and losers from the Budget?

Nicholas Lyes, Head of Roads Policy at the RAC, commented: “These findings make for terrible reading and will come as no surprise to anyone who is forced to endure our pothole-plagued roads on a daily basis.

“It’s incredible that council funding is now so inadequate that almost one-in-five roads have under five years’ structural life left.

“This means the gap between the money councils have and what they need is widening, with road users ultimately left suffering.”

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Nick Chamberlin, Policy Manager, British Cycling, added: “Local and rural roads need desperate attention.

“The Government continues to kick the can down the road and now the repair bill is growing out of control.

“Potholes and poor road surfaces are a problem that all road users can unite on, but they are particularly dangerous for people who cycle.

“The problem demands a proper long term funding solution. We support the AIA in its annual call, in support of local councils up and down the country, to have our local and rural roads made a national priority for investment.”

Cllr Andy Keir, cabinet member for local services, said: “We are committed to maintaining our road network to the highest standard.  In the current financial year we have completed multiple resurfacing schemes, including works on the A68, Coniscliffe Road and Neasham Road. 

“In addition, we have completed preventative maintenance in the form of micro asphalting at 46 locations, which equates to approximately 9km of road.

“As a cabinet we have recently approved more than £2m of highway maintenance investment for the coming financial year, which will see resurfacing work undertaken on West Auckland Road, Walworth Road and Burnside Road, along with many more.

“Our continued investment is proving successful as evidenced by the number of potholes needing to be repaired in the period April to December 2022 decreasing by 19 per cent on the same period in 2021.

“Residents are able to report potholes via our Report It portal or via the Darlington Borough Council app.”