The National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) is today renewing calls on the Government to move much further and faster on its commitment to improve roads maintenance. The call comes as the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) publishes its latest annual report. The 2025 Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance Survey Report reveals that the backlog of carriageway repairs in England and Wales has reached new heights at almost £17 billion, while roads are only surfaced, on average, once every 93 years. More than half (52%) – equivalent to around 106,000 miles– of the local road network is reported to have less than 15 years’ structural life remaining. Almost a third of these – 34,600 miles or one in six of the total – may only have up to five years life left.
Almost all local authorities told the AIA that in their opinion, there has been no improvement to their network over the last year, with 65% stating that conditions have declined. Over £20 billion has been spent on carriageway maintenance in England and Wales over the last decade but, due to the short-term allocation of this funding, there have been no significant improvements in structural road conditions.
Poor roads maintenance and potholes are a clear and present road safety risk to motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users. The Pothole Partnership comprising The AA, British Cycling, JCB, the National Motorcyclists Council, with other supporting organisations, previously welcomed the Government’s commitment to £1.6bn funding for local road maintenance in England, but the ALARM report confirms that this is only a small part of the investment needed if we are to see real change and safer roads for motorcyclists and other roads users.
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