UK roads lagging behind rest of Europe

The level of maintenance carried out on the nation’s roads over the last 12 months has shown the UK’s road network to be only the seventh best in Europe.

According to a survey by sat-nav giant TomTom, the UK is now lags behind Turkey and Croatia.

1.7 million potholes on UK roads

Road tolls plan draws criticism from industry

Analysing the number of road ‘improvements’ carried out over the last year, the study found that a total of 115,994 new roundabouts, carriageway lanes and one-way streets were created in the UK last year.

France headed up the list with 263,409 improvements – Germany, Spain and Italy took second, third and fourth spots, with 169,111, 145,641 and 144,571 enhancements, respectively.

Turkey and Croatia beat the UK into seventh place with 118,352 and 129,301 road developments.

According to the report, “despite the huge growth in population and car ownership, it seems that investment in the UK’s road infrastructure is lagging behind other European countries.”

The news comes after it was revealed last week that over 1.7 million potholes litter our roads, with claims the government’s ‘patch and mend’ policy is not good enough. Road condition campaign website potholes.co.uk called for a blanket-resurfacing of torn roads instead.

With a government investigation into privatising the UK network confirmed this week – met by a cold reception from motorists already paying more in taxes and duties than they get back in new road investment – this latest report will surely not help the case for road pricing.

The last three harsh winters have added £1.34 billion to the nation’s road repair bill, of which there is already an 11-year backlog of overhauling work to be done.

Welsh roads fair even worse with a 17-year wait required to complete the current list of maintenance, while the report also revealed some roads in the UK will go for a century without any repair work.

Councils in England and Wales have a road funding deficit of approximately £800 million after road budgets fell to £2.5 billion last year, down 13 per cent – the result meaning 25 per cent of local roads have a useable life of only five years, rising to 27 per cent in London.

1.7 million potholes on UK roads

Road tolls plan draws criticism from industry