The current fashion for renewals and preventative maintenance on our road networks has inevitably led to highway authorities labelling repairs, which are by definition reactive, as “proactive”.
Take for example, this BBC story about repairs to structures on the A3 at Guildford:
Crumbling dual carriageway ‘needs fixing now’
A crumbling dual carriageway in Surrey must be repaired immediately or will be unusable in “three to four” years, National Highways says.
The Dennis Interchange bridges in Guildford are undergoing major repairs, as water and salt from the road has rusted metalwork inside the supporting pillars below.
Pretty clear then that the structures have got to the point where they need to be repaired – and are being repaired – right now. Traffic is being diverted through the city centre during two full weekend closures.
But wait:
Nick Axford, project manager at National Highways, said “We’re doing a proactive repair now to bring everything up to full strength and make it last for years to come.”
Funnily enough, in April:
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Transport Insights 