Just a fraction of Bedford's council-run roads are repaired

The RAC warned "only a slither of England’s total road network is getting any maintenance", and called on local authorities to focus on preventing road damage rather than continuously fixing "pothole-ridden roads that are beyond saving".

In December, the Transport Secretary announced a package of almost £1.6 billion to fix potholes across England in 2025-26, which the RAC called the largest one-off road maintenance funding councils have ever been granted.

A quarter of this £500 million uplift is being held back until authorities have demonstrated they are using it well.

New analysis of Department for Transport figures by the RAC shows only 0.6% of minor (B, C and U) roads and just 0.2% of major (A) roads managed by the council in Bedford received any form of maintenance in 2023-24.

Meanwhile, just 3% (4,894 miles) of the council-run road network in England was strengthened, resurfaced or preserved last year.

Although this was an 18% increase on the previous year when 4,144 miles of roads received maintenance, it was a 35% decline on 2017-18 where 7,510 miles were improved.

It means 2,616 fewer miles of road were maintained last year than six years ago.

Local authorities in England have a legal duty to maintain their roads, with funding coming from the central Government.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams welcomed the increase in the number of roads improved last year, but warned "that’s hardly great progress" since this number had dropped to a five-year low the year before.

He said "only a slither of England’s total road network is getting any maintenance attention whatsoever", warning "most councils are in a cycle of merely filling potholes, rather than looking after their roads properly".

He added: "The bigger picture is far more concerning because it still shows a significant decline in the proportion of our roads strengthened, resurfaced or preserved compared to six years ago.

"As the Government has just given councils a record amount of funding to look after their roads, we hope to see a significant improvement in the quality of road surfaces due to the extra maintenance they will be able to carry out in the next 12 months.

"We encourage local authorities to focus on permanent solutions rather than trying to patch pothole-ridden roads that are beyond saving."

The RAC's research suggests half of councils in England failed to conduct pothole prevention work on the major roads they administer.

Mike Hansford, chief executive of the Road Surface Treatments Association, said: "Preventative road surface treatments offer councils a cost-effective and lower-carbon approach to managing road assets through their lifecycle.

"This preventative maintenance approach results in roads being kept in good condition for longer, reduces future pothole formation, and allows local authorities to treat more of their road networks."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said it wants councils to tackle potholes in "the most cost-efficient way", which is why it is awarding "multi-year funding settlements".

They added: "The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing a quarter of the £500 million funding boost."

A spokesman for Bedford Borough Council said: “The council’s highway inspectors actively monitor the road network.

“The road and pavement programme of works is based on inspections carried out through the year. Carriageway resurfacing sites are compiled using a scoring matrix based on a number of measurable criteria, to ensure that the roads in the worst condition are prioritised across Bedford borough.

“We evaluate against:

“Condition of the road

“Benefits to residents and local economy

“Carrying out works that ease the burden of small-scale repair works facing the council

“In addition to these repairs, we also:

“Maintain highways bridges

“Carry out works to improve highway drainage and prevent flooding

“Carry out street lighting improvements.”

Have you got a story you want to share with our readers?

You can now send it to us online via YourWorld

It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers