Key Facts

Did you know?

  • Over 25 million tonnes of asphalt is produced every year in the UK.
  • Asphalt is 100% recyclable.
  • There are 275 asphalt plants in the UK.
  • Asphalt roads account for over 95% of all UK roads.
  • The strategic road network (SRN), managed by Highways England, represents 2.7% of our network. The remaining 97.3% is managed by local authorities.
  • In 2020, there were 247,500 miles of road in Great Britain: 2,300 miles of motorway; 29,500 miles of trunk A-roads; and 215.700 miles of minor roads (Source: DfT).
  • Funding provided for local road maintenance by the DfT in 2020/21 was around 0.3% of its total asset value (£400 billion).
  • £10.24 billion is needed to bring local roads in England and Wales up to scratch.
  • Almost 1.7 million potholes were filled on local roads in England and Wales in 2020/21 – equivalent to one every 19 seconds.
  • It is 20 times more expensive to carry out reactive maintenance than planned, preventative maintenance.