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Inconsistent roads funding leads to quick fixes rather than long term solutions
Maintaining roads to target conditions is still out of reach for local authorities in England and Wales despite an increase in highway maintenance budgets, reports this year’s Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey. The ALARM survey, published today (March 31, 2021) by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), shows that the legacy of inconsistent funding […]
AIA Chair comments on today’s Budget
“Our local road network has a vital role to play in supporting our communities and economic growth as we reset after the pandemic. What was needed from the Chancellor today was a five-year commitment to investing in local roads, to allow local highway authorities to plan ahead and implement a more cost-effective whole-life approach to […]
AIA Chair comments on pothole fund allocation
“Potholes are a symptom of an under-appreciated and underfunded network. To keep essential services across the country moving and looking to recovery post-COVID, what’s needed is further sustained investment in effective road maintenance. That will help improve the condition of our local roads to prevent potholes from forming in the first place. “Last year our […]
Road statistics provide food for thought
Updated road-related statistics are now available to view on RoadFile at www.roadusers.org.uk . Covering topics from road network lengths and funding to traffic volume and regional trends, Roadfile is a hub for publicly available data and is delivered by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA). AIA Chair, Rick Green said “RoadFile is a one-stop resource for […]
ALARM 2021 local authority submissions will help underpin future decision-making on road maintenance
“This spring will see the publication of the 26th consecutive Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey, which investigates the effects of funding and maintenance levels on the condition of local roads across England and Wales, as well as the funding necessary to deliver against targets. “ALARM helps to keep the issue of local road […]
AIA Chair Rick Green calls for more support for local roads
“The last 12 months have been challenging for those responsible for maintaining our roads. Quite rightly they have been described as the “hidden heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic”[1], as they worked tirelessly to ensure that roads played a vital role in keeping the country functioning, supporting the emergency services and enabling the distribution of food […]
Comment on implications for local roads following Autumn 2020 Spending Review
Rick Green, Chair, Asphalt Industry Alliance, commented: “Our local roads played a vital role in keeping the country functioning this year, supporting the emergency services and facilitating the distribution of food and goods, and today’s funding announcements reflect that the Government recognises the need to invest in the local road network as we build back […]
Rick Green, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, comments on the recent DfT announcement to carry out road audit to map potholes:
“The Government’s announcement to carry out a road audit to map the location of the country’s potholes will certainly highlight the scale of the problem. “Identifying millions of potholes, however, is not really the problem. As our Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey illustrates, the issue is long-term underfunding and the resulting £11 billion […]
Local road maintenance must get fair share of Government infrastructure investment
AIA calls for fair share of investment for maintaining local roads The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) is calling for local road maintenance to receive a fair share of the Government’s planned infrastructure investment earmarked to stimulate the economy. With £100 billion of spending pledged and £4 billion of ‘shovel ready’ projects identified[1], the AIA advocates […]
25 years of ALARM and still no silver lining
The findings of this year’s Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey indicate that, while a step in the right direction, the Chancellor’s additional £2.5 billion pothole pledge is not enough to plug the gap in local road maintenance budgets, let alone the rising backlog of repairs. Now in its 25th year, the ALARM survey, […]