The Department for Transport has asked for fresh work to be undertaken to estimate the size of the highway maintenance backlog.
In a major boost for Surveyor’s campaign for a real-terms funding increase in the Comprehensive Spending Review later this year, the DfT has asked the UK Roads Board to revive attempts to place a figure on the backlog. A previous bid to put a price tag on the investment needed for local highway authorities to catch up on the outstanding repairs to the network foundered three years ago.
A study by consultant WDM suggesting councils needed twice as much money to clear the backlog by 2010 was dismissed as ‘based on a small sample of authorities and on some broad assumptions (Surveyor, 5 February 2004). The DfT promised the transport select committee in October 2003 to publish a backlog estimate, but while the WDM research suggested £8.5bn would be needed to clear the carriageway backlog alone, no DfT view has since been forthcoming. Not having a reliable estimate has made it difficult for councils to lobby for an increase in funding, because there is no hard evidence at present on how much money might actually be needed.
But while the DfT’s move is acknowledgement of the importance of the issue, it was unclear as Surveyor went to press whether the new work could be carried out in sufficient time for the Treasury to take it into account in the autumn spending review. The UK Roads Board will discuss the next steps at its meeting in June.

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