Lack of foresight for UK roads

The UK's National Audit Office (NAO) has criticised the Department for Transport's (DfT) budget cuts on the grounds that they will increase costs for users. A new report from the NAO suggests that the DfT has no long term strategy and that the cuts lack strategic understanding.
April 26, 2012 Read time: 1 min
The UK’s 5285 National Audit Office (NAO) has criticised the 5432 Department for Transport's (DfT) budget cuts on the grounds that they will increase costs for users. A new report from the NAO suggests that the DfT has no long term strategy and that the cuts lack strategic understanding. According to the NAO, the DfT cannot guarantee value for money due to delays on investment and the short timeframe imposed. The 2010 emergency budget reduced the department's budget by €812 million (£683 million) while a further 15% reduction will be seen in spending over the next four years. The NAO report highlights a slashing of the 2309 Highways Agency budget by up to 20% and warns that this may not be financially sustainable. The DfT and local authorities will face significantly higher costs in the long term long-term due to the €1.43 billion (£1.2 billion) reduction in maintenance of local and national roads.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Challenges of NMT in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam
    September 13, 2016
    Developing safety for non-motorised transport in East Africa - Shem Oirere writes. Despite increasing national budgetary allocations for the road sector in recent years, governments in East Africa have made very low investments in non-motorised transport (NMT). This is despite the fact that both Kenya and Uganda have recently passed a policy on pedestrian and cycling safety. In Kenya, the County government of Nairobi, the country’s capital, has embraced a NMT policy, while in Uganda the government has passe
    Read More
  • The Preston Western Distributor
    September 7, 2023
    Costain, as main contractor for the Preston Western Distributor project, was involved from the earliest stages, thanks to the UK’s Early Contractor Involvement approach. The project was delivered on time and on budget to the benefit of the local environment, local businesses and the region’s workforce. David Arminas reports*
    Read More
  • Safer Roads: More Than Just Progress on Paper
    June 8, 2016
    As the co-chairman of Pillar II (“Safer roads and mobility”) of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, I was privileged to be in New York on April 15, 2016 as the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on “improving global road safety” sponsored by 56 UN member states. By a bitter twist of fate, this resolution came to pass as many countries around the world are reporting a notable increase in injuries and deaths on their roads, including in countries that had seen a steady decline
    Read More
  • ALARMing UK road statistics, from the Asphalt Industry Alliance
    March 27, 2017
    Within years, one in six of UK local roads will need repairs or face closure, according to the latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance – ALARM - survey. The cumulative effect of an ageing network, decades of underfunding, increased traffic and wetter winters has led to around 17% of all local roads reportedly in poor structural condition, with less than five years of life remaining. The 22nd annual ALARM survey is a comprehensive study into local road maintenance funding and conditions. Loca
    Read More

Highlighted Content