{"id":243,"date":"2019-03-29T11:03:08","date_gmt":"2019-03-29T11:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.andyrussellmedia.co.uk\/?p=243"},"modified":"2019-03-29T11:06:57","modified_gmt":"2019-03-29T11:06:57","slug":"rough-ride-plugging-funding-gap-for-filling-potholes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.andyrussellmedia.co.uk\/blog\/rough-ride-plugging-funding-gap-for-filling-potholes\/","title":{"rendered":"Rough ride ahead to plug that funding shortfall for filling potholes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The challenge of filling potholes saw one filled in England and Wales every 17 seconds last year, 1.86 million altogether and 20% more than 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is councils are filling more potholes. An extra \u00a3420m of government road maintenance cash resulted in a further 350,000 being filled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bad news is it is only stemming the decline in filling potholes in our rundown, worn-out roads.
The annual maintenance shortfall is still \u00a3657m across England and Wales, even with that extra cash and two years of 20% boosts for councils\u2019 highway maintenance budgets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Asphalt Industry Alliance\u2019s (AIA) annual local authority road maintenance (Alarm) survey revealed these shocking figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councils nationally still need to spend \u00a39.79bn over 10 years to bring all roads up to scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s even worse in the east of England. The estimated catch-up cost is \u00a3654m and it would take 13 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make do and mend<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Patching potholes, rather than a permanent fix, is a problem and not the best use of money.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Patching potholes, not permanent fixes, is a problem and not the best value solution. Make-do-and-mend maintenance does not tackle the deep-down, underlying issues of our crumbling carriageways and years of under-funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We moan about roadworks and resurfacing schemes. The reality is that roads are resurfaced only every 67 years on average \u2013 once in your lifetime. A-roads carry the most traffic so are the priority for filling potholes. It’s sensible but not great news in rural counties with a network of country lanes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most motorists believe the condition of our roads is getting worse. Half have suffered some pothole damage so it’s not surprising. It’s expensive to repair a bent or cracked wheel, burst tyre or shattered suspension. The council may, or may not, foot the bill but take pictures and contact them to report the pothole. And ask when it was first reported as many councils have a target time for filling potholes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My local BBC radio station interviewed me about the Alarm survey and state of our roads. I tried to be positive about the rise in filling potholes but the facts and figures speak for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cracking up or scarred for life?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Scarred road surfaces can unsettle motorcycles and bikes and could break up and become potholed.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s difficult to be upbeat about trying to hold back the tide while baling out the boat with a leaking bucket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That same day I did a long motorcycle ride with some biker friends. It reinforced how poor our roads have become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just a case of filling potholes. There\u2019s also:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wide cracks between the lanes on dual carriageways which unsettle a motorcycle crossing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peeling, scarred road surfaces at busy junctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Road markings and direction arrows worn away, confusing drivers and riders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

General surface debris \u2013 loose chippings, stones and bits of asphalt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Beast from the East blitzed the country last year. Thankfully, we\u2019ve escaped the big freeze and snow so far that year. The mild weather is helping to prevent further road damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harsh winter weather wrecks roads. Surface water seeps into cracks, freezes and expands. It\u2019s like prising the asphalt apart with a crowbar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In conclusion, the government must give councils another budget boost for road maintenance. They also need early notice to plan a priority programme of filling potholes properly to have any hope of plugging the holes in the road and their stretched, strained maintenance budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit the Asphalt Industry Association website at http:\/\/asphaltuk.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The challenge of filling potholes saw one filled in England and Wales every 17 seconds last year, 1.86 million altogether and 20% more than 2017. The good news is councils are filling more potholes. An extra \u00a3420m of government road maintenance cash resulted in a further 350,000 being filled. The bad news is it is … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Rough ride ahead to plug that funding shortfall for filling potholes”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[6,8,10,5,7,9],"yoast_head":"\nRough ride ahead to plug that funding shortfall for filling potholes - Andy Russell Media<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.andyrussellmedia.co.uk\/blog\/rough-ride-plugging-funding-gap-for-filling-potholes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rough ride ahead to plug that funding shortfall for filling potholes - Andy Russell Media\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The challenge of filling potholes saw one filled in England and Wales every 17 seconds last year, 1.86 million altogether and 20% more than 2017. 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