Only half of local roads in England and Wales are in good condition, report finds | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleNeil LancefieldTuesday 17 March 2026 01:10 GMTWatch teenagers' inventive way of flagging potholes as complaints about UK's roads soarThe cost of repairing local roads in England and Wales has soared to a record £18.6 billion, with only 51 per cent of the network currently in good condition.The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) labelled the situation a “national disgrace”, noting that roads are resurfaced, on average, only once every 97 years despite 1.9 million potholes being filled last year.Government funding for local road maintenance in England is set to increase to nearly £1.6 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, as part of a £7.3 billion allocation over four years.AIA chair David Giles expressed cautious optimism but warned that the increased funding is not a “silver bullet” and significant improvements will take a long time to be noticeable to the public.Motoring groups and campaigners, including the AA and Motorcycle Action Group, have called for further action, highlighting the safety risks posed by poor road conditions, particularly for motorcyclists.In fullPothole crisis branded a ‘national disgrace’ as repair bill hits £18.6 billionThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in