Repairing Scotland’s £1.6bn backlog of damaged roads deemed impossible

According to the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), the existing backlog of repairs to Scotland’s road networks is valued at £1.6 billion.

Information provided by SCOTS to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) also suggests that a majority of Scotland’s road authorities do not have sufficient funds to maintain roads at their current state.

The warning comes as Scotland’s roads were revealed to be pockmarked with the highest number of potholes in the UK and have a combined depth of nearly four miles.

Comprising transport experts from all 32 Scottish local authorities and the seven regional transport partnerships, SCOTS specialises in delivering and maintaining transport systems.

The body was asked by SPICe if it was possible to calculate how long it would take to fix all of Scotland’s roads that require maintenance.

SCOTS replied: “At current (decreasing) levels of funding it is simply not possible to ‘fix’ all of Scotland’s roads that need maintenance. Most Roads Authorities have budgets which are lower than that required to maintain roads at the current state – which includes roads which are in need of maintenance.

“It is possible to calculate what is termed the headline backlog figure – the cost to remove all significant defects (currently existing) – the 2017 calculation assesses the headline backlog figure at £1,671,425,000.”

Scottish Labour, which instigated the investigation, said the figures showed the scale of SNP cuts to councils over many years.

Labour transport spokesperson Neil Bibby MSP said: “Many motorists are already frustrated at the state of Scotland’s roads but they will be absolutely stunned to learn that transport experts have deemed it simply impossible to repair all of the country’s roads at current funding levels.

“Scotland’s roads already require £1.6bn worth of works – and with massive funding cuts that figure will only get worse.

“The SNP must stop cutting council budgets and properly fund local authorities so that they can invest effectively in repairing our roads. Further cuts will only make matters worse.”

The financial challenges involved in maintaining roads came to light this week after it emerged that Scotland’s highways have the highest number of potholes in the UK.

Research compiled by the insurance firm Confused.com suggested that the combined depth of the 154,310 potholes reported to Scottish councils last year would come to four miles.

The number of potholes was around 16,000 more than the next worst-hit region, the South-west of England and means Scottish motorists are reporting around 423 cavities each day, three times more than counterparts in London.

A spokesman for transport minister Humza Yousaf said: “The SNP government is investing massively in transport infrastructure like dualling the A9, delivering the Aberdeen bypass and building the new Queensferry Crossing – all projects which Labourfailed to take forward when they were in office.”

A Scottish Government spokesman added: “The local road network is the responsibility of local authorities and it is up to them to allocate resources based on local priorities. However, we are working with local government to help to improve the condition of all roads, including supporting them to form regional partnerships to share resources and better manage their road networks.”