Local authorities in England and Wales now face a record £18.62 billion backlog of carriageway repairs that would take 12 years to clear, according to the latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance’s survey showed despite a rise in investment from the UK Government and local authority’s own sources leading to a 17% increase in highways maintenance budgets in England and Wales, there have been “only marginal improvements in conditions”.
Around half (51%) of the local road network is reported to be in good structural condition, with 15 years or more life remaining – up 3% from last year. But one in six (16%) local roads is reported to have less than five years’ structural life remaining.
Highway maintenance budgets in England and Wales for 2025-26 are reported to be an average £30.5 million per authority, with over half spent on the surface and structure of the road.
To maintain standards has increased by £1.37bn – up 10% on last year – £18.62 billion is now reported as a one-off payment to bring all roads up to “ideal” standards. In such a situation, local authorities would save £1bn a year to maintain the network.
David Giles, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), which commissions the ALARM survey, said:
“I think all road users would agree that the condition of our local roads has become a national disgrace.
“The AIA has long advocated for substantial, sustained and targeted funding for highways maintenance so that local authority highway teams can plan ahead and deliver lasting improvements.
“It appears the Government has listened. It’s funding announcements for local highway maintenance in England, including £1.6 billion for this (2025/26) financial year – £500 million more than the previous year – plus its subsequent pledge to allocate £7.3 billion over the next four years, represent an important step forward.
“And, local authority highway engineers have told us they are cautiously optimistic that the increased funding announced by the Government, supplemented by their own coffers, should help them stem further decline. However, it is not the silver bullet that will enable them to clear the backlog of repairs any time soon.
“It will be some time before the impact of increased funding levels, if fully delivered, will be noticed by the public. However, the dial could be moved quicker if the Government’s commitment to additional funding was frontloaded, rather than ramping up in the years to 2030.”
AA President Edmund King OBE, said:
“The ALARM 2026 report starkly warns us how much more needs to be done to eradicate this plague of potholes. We have been seeing with our own eyes, and feeling with our wheels, how record wet weather linked to substandard roads has led to many local roads becoming patchwork obstacle courses.
“The AA has been called out to 137,000 pothole-related incidents in the UK in January and February this year – 25,000 up on last year. Extra funding needs to be maintained and spent on more permanent repairs to prevent extensive vehicle damage and potentially fatal injuries to those on two wheels.”
RAC Head of Policy, Simon Williams, said:
“We hope new record levels of funding from central Government and a commitment to longer term investment that allow councils to plan highways maintenance will mean we start to turn a corner – although it will be some time before drivers notice a real difference.
“The path to better roads isn’t complicated: ensure water always drains off the roads, fix potholes as permanently as possible, seal roads against water ingress through preventative maintenance, and resurface those that have gone beyond the point of no return.”
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards, Nicholas Lyes, said:
“Our research suggests drivers are taking risky actions to avoid hitting potholes, while for those on two wheels, they can cause serious injury or worse. We need a long-term approach that invests in proper surface maintenance, rather than the all too often ‘patch and dash’ repairs that crumble at the first sign of bad weather.”
Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) Director of Campaigns and Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said:
“Government data consistently shows that road surface conditions contribute to twice the proportion of motorcycle killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties compared to both car occupants and cyclists – 4% versus 2%, every single year for a decade. Riders aren’t complaining about cracked roads because of the damage to their tyres – it’s the added risk of dying on them. The Government needs to frontload this funding.”
Local Government Association Chair of the Inclusive Growth Committee, Cllr Tom Hunt, said:
“More funding being directed towards fixing roads, alongside some longer-term certainty is positive. However, the fact that councils still face an £18.62 billion backlog of local road repairs, shows more action is needed for councils to bring roads up to scratch.
“Local authorities work hard to fix potholes swiftly to prevent people’s journeys from being impeded. The scale of the backlog and the many factors that affect repair rates, from the type of road and traffic levels, to changing weather patterns, means local government is having to do more with less, and find innovative new ways to respond to the issue.”
Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) Managing Director, Kerry Winstanley, said:
“However, with the backlog of carriageway repairs now exceeding £18 billion, it will take increased long-term investment to bring our local roads back up to the standard communities expect. After one of the wettest winters on record, we are seeing how years of underinvestment have reduced the resilience of our local roads, leaving local highways authorities battling to prevent further deterioration of the network.”
Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) Chief Executive, Lyle Andrew, said:
“We have seen minor improvements in the condition of the network, with RCI data showing an increase of 2% in roads reported as ‘green’, and 51% of local roads now reported to be in good structural condition. However adverse weather conditions, continue to expose how fragile many parts of the network are.
“Despite these improvements there remains a significant gap in funding. And, with ALARM 2026 reporting 49% of roads estimated to have 15 years of structural life remaining, sustained funding for local authorities remains vital in order to for us to see increased resilience of the road network long-term. Government providing long term commitment will also be fundamental to ensure that any progress being made now can be maintained and built upon in the upcoming years.”
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