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Roads threaten to crumble
Page 18
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De-trunking plans could be a disaster. Jennifer Ball reports.
VITAL UK roads could crumble away if government plans to detrunk up to 40% of the road network go ahead, a trade association has warned.
The Freight Transport Association says that the plans, which would transfer responsibility for these roads from the Highways Agency to cash-strapped local authorities (LAs) could trigger a maintenance crisis.
The warning comes following a survey from the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE), which found that 74% of UK LAs have reported deterioration in local roads. Road maintenance standards within the responsibility of LAs have fallen and projects have been delayed, with the money earmarked for repairs diverted elsewhere.
Over the past year, the road maintenance backlog has jumped 12% from £7.2bn in 2002, to1.8.3bn in 2003. ICE says that road planners are frustrated by the short term 'sticking plaster' mentality that provides temporary alleviation of symptoms rather than long-term cures.
Malcolm Bingham, FTA manager of highways, says: "Trunk roads are a vital element of key trade routes. FTA would like to see road maintenance funds ringfenced to ensure that LAs carry out their responsibilities.
"Maintenance of the road network is vital to the nation's economic future badly maintained roads are a major cost to the transport industry, resulting in delays and unreliability of journey times."
Peterborough-based haulier Bernard Howard, from PC Howard, agrees that the money for road maintenance is given to councils but is being spent elsewhere: "Every day, drivers are faced with roads breaking up; something has got to be done urgently before somebody is killed."