The UK has a pressing need for more road repairs. Local authorities and councils are being asked to prioritise repairs by the UK Government.
The current lockdown on mobility provides strong potential for road repairs to be carried out with minimum disturbance. Reduce traffic volumes mean that roads are quieter and that work can be carried out more easily and more safely.
Road construction work can be carried out using appropriate social distancing measures so as to ensure safety for personnel. And the lower traffic volumes also mean road workers are less at risk from vehicles.
Data from the motoring body the RAC suggests that 3,426 cars suffered damaged from hitting potholes in the first quarter of 2020. This was 4.5% larger than for the same period in 2019.
The UK’s roads have suffered from a lack of investment and there is concern over the backlog of repair work. One report suggests that there is a backlog of repair work costing over £11 billion, with a 14% cut in central funding from the UK Government having exacerbated the problem.
However, a budget of £2.5 billion is being provided over the next five years by the UK Government to tackle road repairs.
