£167 million is needed to repair all Devon roads

It would cost £167m to improve all roads needing planned maintenance in Devon and would require of £38m per year just to maintain all of Devon’s carriageways in a steady state, it has been revealed.

The figures have been published in a report of the County Road Highway Maintenance Capital Budget that goes to Devon County Council’s cabinet committee next Wednesday, which also outlines the state of Devon’s roads.

The report outlines how it is evident from the survey data that the county council have carried out that Devon’s ‘A and B’ road network has over the past 10 years remained in a relatively good and stable condition.

Devon County Council’s Capital Highway Maintenance Programme for 2018/19 would have a budget of £50,330,168, which would be split so £37,759,668 is spent on the Highways Structural Maintenance, £7.7m on the Bridge and Structures Programme, with the rest allocated to the Challenge Fund.

The report of Meg Booth, Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste, says: “The continued gradual deterioration in the minor road network reflects the fact that there is insufficient funding provided by Government to meet all the needs of the county road network.

“The condition data shows that the general condition of a large part of the urban and rural minor road network is vulnerable to the formation of potholes and will remain so unless sufficient money is invested to carry out structural carriageway repairs to add resilience so that future works can then keep pace with normal wear and tear and deterioration.”

“The impact of insufficient funding is particularly noticeable on our minor roads in urban and rural areas. It is therefore essential that the available funding is effectively targeted to deliver the most cost-effective maintenance of each asset in the longer-term."

Key elements of the Capital Highway Maintenance Programme are:

• £5million to named larger schemes with a high pothole count and structural defects and or to rectify carriageways with potential skidding defects.
• £5.97 million has been allocated to make further progress on non-Principal roads and to undertake preparatory patching and surfacing on local roads. This will support the strategic pledge for ‘B’ roads and to help prioritise repairs to the more minor network
• £5.03 million has been allocated for preventative treatments, surface dressing (£3.73 million) and micro asphalt (£1.3 million)
• £1.91 million will be used to keep footways in a condition that is reasonably safe and commensurate with established usage.
• £0.12 million has been allocated to make further improvements to the A380 south bound carriageway road restraint system at Preston Down roundabout in Marldon.
• £900,000 for A361 Resurfacing and waterproofing as part of the highway scheme
• £1,190,000 to replace the Mageba joint on Torridge Bridge and Brayford Bridge.

Devon County Council’s cabinet meets on Wednesday, April 11, at 10.30am.