Carlaw: Road deterioration can only lead to greater long-term costs

Scottish Transport Statistics have revealed that the 2009-10 National Road Condition Indicator (RCI) showed that 36% of local authority network roads in Scotland require some sort of maintenance.

Shadow Transport minister, Jackson Carlaw MSP said:

"After the recent severe weather in Scotland our roads have taken a battering, so it is even more concerning that over a third of the road network already required maintenance before the snow and ice hit. Letting roads deteriorate to this level can only lead to greater long-term costs, even more so when so many trunk roads are of such importance to the Scottish economy.

"This is why Scottish Conservatives welcomed suggestions earlier in the year that the government should be prepared to consider whether those roads maintained by local authorities are up to standard and whether as with the motorway and trunk road network, alternatives should be considered.

"The SNP Government have shown an alarming lack of foresight in allowing our roads to get to such a dreadful state of disrepair, especially when it is Scottish drivers who will suffer. I hope our new Transport Minister will act swiftly before the situation is allowed to deteriorate even more so."

The Report can be found here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/12/17120002/588

The report states: "In 2009-10 the National Road Condition Indicator ( RCI) showed 30% of the local authority A road network may, following more detailed examination, require some kind of maintenance (see section 3.7). For the whole of the local authority network (all road categories), about 36% may similarly require some kind of maintenance."

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