Three in five motorists believe that roads across the Channel are much better maintained than those in Britain.
A new study by RAC Europe asked drivers who had travelled abroad how they felt about the continent’s roads compared to those in the UK, and the results highlighted just how badly Britons have it.
The revealing findings come just weeks after a damning report by the National Audit Office (NAO) found that the Government is “ignorant of the state of local roads” or how effectively councils are using available funding to fix potholes.
Six in ten motorists prefer the state of roads across the Channel compared to the poorly maintained ones in the UK, according to a new survey by RAC Europe
A damning report by the National Audit Office (NAO) published a few weeks ago concluded that the Government is “unaware of the state of local roads” or how effectively councils are using available funding to fix potholes. The RAC has estimated that there are more than one million potholes in the UK.
Surveying 1,778 drivers, 95 per cent of whom had driven a car or motorcycle in Europe, the RAC found that 62 per cent of motorists said local roads in Europe are in better condition and have fewer potholes than equivalent roads in the UK.
Even more worryingly, more than half (57 per cent) also think there are fewer and less severe potholes on European motorways than on their high-speed equivalents in Britain.
Only a fifth (17 per cent) think UK local roads are in better condition than those in Europe, and only 19 per cent said UK motorways are superior in terms of condition.
About 14 percent said there was little or no difference.
RAC Europe spokesman Rod Dennis said: “There is a lot of talk about how terrible the state of local roads in the UK is, but to hear drivers think they are significantly worse than the rest of Europe is shocking.
‘This leads us to ask: if other countries can have decent quality roads to drive on, why can’t we?
“It is even more worrying from a safety perspective how many drivers think UK motorways are riddled with potholes compared to the smooth surfaces of their European counterparts, as it is these high-speed routes that carry the majority of traffic.”
The NAO pointed to industry estimates of a £15.6bn backlog of highway maintenance across the country, which it said was preventing councils from undertaking “preventative work”.
An analysis of DfT data showed that the percentage of road length maintained in England each year is declining
This dire comparison with Europe is the latest in a series of alarming studies highlighting the poor state of the UK’s roads.
The NAO report published last month concluded that the Government “is unaware of the state of local roads”.
He blamed the Department for Transport’s (DfT) shortcomings on its decision to limit the data it collects on local roads to reduce its administrative burden.
The UK’s independent public spending watchdog has revealed that local authorities are not even required to report on the condition of unclassified roads, which make up 62 per cent of their networks.
The NAO revealed the DfT had spent £1.1bn in the 2022/23 financial year but “does not know” what impact this has had on England’s roads and bridges.
The report added: ‘There is no reporting requirement for unclassified roads, which make up 62 per cent of the local network, although around 70 per cent of local authorities provided this data in 2023.
“This means the DfT does not hold information about large parts of the network.”
A recent RAC and Channel 4 Offices The joint investigation found 206 municipalities when it came to identifying and repairing potholes
AA chairman Edmund King responded to the audit by saying: “The NAO report is a sweeping indictment of the state of the UK’s local roads and their maintenance. The condition of local roads has been deteriorating, but delays are mounting and the budget has been falling.
‘Before the election, 96 per cent of AA members cited poor road conditions as their main transport problem.’
In April, the RAC revealed that the UK’s pothole epidemic is intensifying, with the breakdown service handling 10 per cent more callouts due to motorists driving over potholes than it did a year ago.
By the end of March 2024, there were 27,205 callouts due to poor road surfaces in the UK, compared with 24,906 during the previous 12 months, the RAC said.
The RAC has estimated that there are more than one million potholes in the UK.
The future of the UK’s roads remains uncertain as the road transport industry grows increasingly concerned after the Chancellor said she will delay investment in road infrastructure following the previous government’s overspending which left the UK with a “£22bn hole in public spending”.
Among the projects being cancelled is the A303 Stonehenge tunnel, as part of a “comprehensive review” of “£1bn of unfunded transport projects”.
With no mention of whether the cancelled northern section of HS2 (an £8.3bn fund) will be spent on local road maintenance (as promised by the previous government), the funding plan for the next decade remains unclear.
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