Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\FacebookOpenGraph.xslt Drivers slam condition of rural roads in RAC survey
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Drivers slam condition of rural roads in RAC survey

Date: 08 September 2015   |   Author: Daniel Puddicombe

The state of Britain's local roads is the number one gripe among drivers, results of a new survey has found.

According to the RAC's annual Report on Motoring, one in 10 motorists said the condition of local roads was their top concern, while a further 20% listed the issue as one of their top four concerns.

Meanwhile, half of the 1556 respondents for the report said the condition of roads in their area has worsened in the past year, with 10% claiming an improvement, and the remainder reporting no change.

One in five motorists (19%) in Scotland and the south west listed it as their top concern, while only 30% of Londoners said the road conditions have deteriorated - half the rate (59%) reported among drivers who live in rural areas.

According to the RAC, Devon has the most miles of road in England and one of the highest maintenance backlogs in the country.

The vast majority (99%) of respondents put the worsening quality of roads down to potholes and general damage to the road surface, although a quarter cited litter as an annoyance.

Previously, the Government estimated it would cost £8.6bn to bring the nation's roads up to a state that is fit for purpose, however, it has only allocated £6bn worth of funding to maintain and improve local roads until 2021.

According to the RAC's annual report, 30% of motorists said the number one priority for transport spending should be to fix local roads, while 48% cited it as a top priority.

When asked how local authorities should prioritise spending of council tax, 46% of respondants said education should be the top priority with road maintenance the second (18%), ahead of social services and housing assistance.

"Motorists clearly want the Government to provide sufficient funding to ensure local roads are maintained properly, but while any central Government money given to local authorities for roads must be spent on roads, we also need councils to spend more of their own funds on repairing and replacing road surfaces," said David Bizely, RAC chief engineer.

"Currently, this is a challenge as they are under specific legal obligation to provide minimum standards in education and social services whereas their obligations to maintain roads are far less prescriptive," Bizely added.

"It is therefore inevitable that expenditure is biased against investment in the likes of road maintenance where prescriptive legal obligations do not exist and councilors therefore do not face legal sanctions."

 



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