Transport Insights

The mixed messages coming from the latest Department for Transport (DfT) press release on English local authority approaches to road maintenance are mind-blowing, with the idea that prevention is better than cure getting lost in simplistic headlines.

How well is your council fixing your roads?

New map rates how record government pothole funding is being used.

Absent from the top line is the idea that fixing roads and filling in potholes is a sign of failure.

• new red, amber, green ratings let public see which local highway authorities are fixing potholes effectively
• government’s record £7.3 billion funding announced at budget is helping councils get on with fixing nation’s roads
• record investment will drive real improvement, saving drivers money by preventing costly repairs and restoring pride in communities

The press release explains that red, amber, green (RAG) ratings are based on three key areas:

• the condition of local roads
• how much LHAs are spending on road repairs
• whether they are following best practice in maintaining highways

Eventually, the DfT gets around to explaining what they mean by best practice, and it isn’t “patching up potholes”:

Those that scored ‘green’, like Leeds, Sandwell and Manchester, were able to demonstrate they are following best practice, such as investing in more long-term preventative measures rather than just patching up potholes, while also maintaining good road conditions and investing significantly into improving local roads. 

Despite all the tough talk, the DfT has created a system of perverse incentives, where the councils with a red rating get *more* money.