COUNCIL roads failed to improve between 2008 and 2011 according to new figures out today from the Department for Transport.
The coalition government has scrapped local local authorities' targets to improve the condition of their roads, leading to a trend of neglect and a worsening condition of our roads.
The councils with the highest percentage of main roads requiring maintenance are Haringey (20 per cent), Camden (17 per cent), Oldham (14 per cent) and Reading (14 per cent).
The councils with the highest percentage of minor roads requiring maintenance are Newham (20 per cent), North Lincolnshire (18 per cent), and Haringey (18 per cent).
Of the 89 councils that provided data, 38 per cent reported that their minor roads deteriorated in 2010/11, 38 per cent of councils remained the same, and 24 per cent reported improvements.
In the same period, 40 per cent of councils reported deterioration in main road conditions, 38 per cent reported that their roads had remained the same and 21 per cent reported improved conditions.
IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “Under the previous government local authorities had targets to improve the condition of their roads. While the old system of road maintenance targets wasn’t perfect, the effect of the coalition scrapping these targets is evident in certain areas.
“Extra central government money following recent bad winters and the public outcry over the state of the roads has helped to stem the tide, but only when we have a commitment to long term funding can councils really start to address the huge backlog of repairs."
