LIKE most other public services and infrastructure, Britain’s highways are showing the signs of 14 years of underfunding because of government austerity.
It’s an increasing source of concern right across the country, including here in St Helens. The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, has highlighted the fact that central government currently spends 31 times more per mile on maintaining motorways than local roads.
And figures from the OECD – a group of 38 ‘high income countries’– show that £4 billion was spent in 2006 on UK local road maintenance compared with £2 billion in 2019 - the last year of comparable data available.
This is compared to Sweden, Denmark, the United States, Japan and New Zealand which have increased spending by around half over the same period. Countries including France, Finland and Canada have also protected pothole repair budgets more than the UK Government has.
Such a cut in investment inevitably leads to poorer road conditions. The LGA have found that only 34 per cent of residents in the country were satisfied with how well their local roads were maintained. This is the lowest level recorded since the survey began in 2012, and it’s no wonder.
Latest estimates are that councils face a record £14 billion road repair backlog which it would take them 11 years to tackle without further support.
Like all other councils, here in St Helens we’re doing what we can with the resources we have. The council maintains 484 miles of road, as well as 553 miles of footways, and in 2023 carried out 3,767 carriageway and pothole repairs. However, since December alone more than 800 potholes have been reported. This is a huge challenge for an already stretched service, but our crews are doing all they can, as often as they can.
In addition to repairing thousands of potholes, resurfacing works are scheduled between February and April for streets right across the borough, including in Billinge, Bold, Haydock, Windle, Newton, Thatto Heath, Sutton, Rainhill, Eccleston, Moss Bank and Windle.
But the fact is – like most other councils – we simply can’t afford to do what we used to do.
Our roads are just one example on a very long list of things we need a Labour government to fix.
To report a pothole, please visit sthelens.gov.uk/report-it.
Best wishes to all Star readers.
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