The RAC and the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) have written to the government, calling for them to introduce mandatory road maintenance training for councils.
To coincide with Pothole Prevention Week – 8 to 14 September – the two organisations have joined forces with a view to getting councils to understand the benefits of low-cost preventative maintenance treatments that seal the road surface from water ingress and keep them in better condition for longer.
The RSTA says many highway authorities are ignoring preventative treatments that typically could be applied from year five after a new road surface is laid, to keep roads in good condition for longer.
Instead, many are leaving them untreated and allowing potholes to form, before eventually having to replace the top layer of asphalt, often after 10 to 15 years, at a far greater cost.
Government road condition data analysed by the RAC shows half of local highway authorities in England did not use any form of preventative maintenance on their A roads in the 2023/24 financial year.
Simon Williams, RAC head of policy said: “We need to ensure the most informed decisions are being made to maximise return on the Government’s £6.4bn capital investment in England’s major and minor roads.
“The government has already taken on board our joint calls about preventative maintenance by asking councils to report how much of this work they have done and are planning to do.
“A logical next step is requiring mandatory training for authorities that have carried out little or no preventative maintenance to fully understand its benefits.”
