Audit Scotland report highlights dreadful state of Scotland’s roads

An Audit Scotland report published today calls on the Scottish Government to consider a national review of how Scotland's road network is managed and maintained.

The report also says key routes should be prioritised and services may need to be redesigned.

Scottish Conservatives have consistently called for spending to be prioritised on key strategic routes.

Jackson Carlaw MSP, Shadow Minister for Transport, said:

"In this report Audit Scotland has confirmed what every driver in Scotland already knew: that we have some of the worst maintained roads in Europe. I have spoken to countless motorists from all across Scotland whose cars have been damaged by poorly maintained and frankly in some cases, downright dangerous, roads.

"We didn't need this report to affirm this basic truth, but perhaps this report will wake up the Scottish Government. Yes the severe weather just experienced has exacerbated the problem, but the problem was already there: it is the result of chronic underinvestment in Scotland's road network under both the SNP and Labour.

"We have long passed the point where the Scotland's road network can be saved by a little bit of pot-holing, the national road network needs urgent attention, and we must be willing to consider radical solutions.

"Conservatives are committed to localism in service provision, but where there is a clear and systemic failure to maintain our national infrastructure, the Scottish Government must intervene and consider alternatives.

"I welcomed the additional investment in our roads that the Cabinet Secretary recently announced to assist with the repairs arising from the severe weather, but while welcome, it is no solution to the long-term underinvestment in our roads."

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