The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has delivered a stark assessment of the condition of England’s local roads, highlighting a growing £15bn repair backlog as a pressing concern.
Its report criticises the UK Department for Transport (DfT) for insufficient oversight and a fragmented approach to funding, which it claims hampers long-term maintenance planning and contributes to deteriorating road conditions.
The report calls for the UK DfT to adopt a simplified, longer-term funding model similar to the five-year planning cycles used by National Highways.
This would reportedly allow local authorities to focus on cost-effective preventative maintenance rather than reactive repairs, which the committee warns are less efficient and more expensive in the long run.
The PAC also urged the UK DfT to address significant gaps in data collection, with its current reliance on voluntary reporting leaving key aspects of the road network, such as cycleways and bridges, unmonitored.
Councillor Adam Hug, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, supported the PAC’s recommendations: “Greater, long-term funding certainty for local highways authorities – with five-yearly funding allocations on a par with National Highways – is needed to tackle the multi-billion-pound local roads backlog.
“This will enable councils to far more effectively plan for and invest in preventative treatments, which keep surfaces in better condition for longer.”
READ MORE: UK government announces £1.6bn to fix seven million potholes across England
Hug also noted the upcoming Spending Review as an opportunity to provide councils with the financial stability required to improve road resilience, support economic growth and reduce the prevalence of potholes.
The PAC report emphasises the critical need for improved road infrastructure, not only for the economy but also for safety and community wellbeing.
With local roads forming 98% of England’s network, the committee highlighted that failing to act will have long-term social and economic consequences.
PAC chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP described the current state of the roads as a “national embarrassment” and called for clearer accountability frameworks and rigorous evaluations of funding mechanisms to ensure taxpayer money is spent effectively.
Achievements and innovations in road maintenance will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 26 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
