Autumn Budget 2018: Comment from the AIA

Asphalt Industry Alliance says extra £420 million for local road maintenance not enough

COMMENTING on the Budget announcement that there is to be an extra £420 million for local authorities’ highway budgets in this financial year, Rick Green, chairman of Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), said it was not enough.

‘While the additional funds will go some way towards tackling the annual shortfall local authorities have in their highway maintenance budgets, they remain significantly less than the £1.5 billion extra a year that the AIA believes is needed to bring local roads up to target conditions so that they can be maintained in a cost-effective way in the future,’ he said.

According to the AIA, more than £9 billion would be needed to carry out a one-time catch-up to bring local roads in England up to scratch.

‘Whilst Monday’s announcement recognizes the important role local roads play in supporting the economy and keeping communities connected, it is not enough to stop the ongoing decline of the local road network caused as a result of years of underfunding,’ continued Mr Green.

He added: ‘Hopefully, it is a welcome first step towards sustained annual increases in local road maintenance funding.’