Is Scottish Government Helping Local Aauthorities With The Pothole Problem?

20th April 2013

In a recent Parliamentary Question lodged with the Scottish Parliament, Highlands & Islands MSP David Stewart asked whether the Government is setting aside finance to allow local authorities and roads authorities to repair potholes in the country's roads.

Transport Minister Keith Brown in his reply said “As part of the 2013-14 Local Government finance settlement, Scottish Government is providing local government in Scotland with over £10.3 billion. The vast majority of the funding, including that for roads maintenance, is being provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives.

Furthermore, a National Road Maintenance Review was delivered in July 2012. This involved all 33 roads authorities in Scotland. The review set out how road authorities can work in collaboration to make road maintenance more efficient, ensuring Scotland’s roads remain a key facilitator of economic growth.

David Stewart said “Clearly the state of some of our roads is diabolical and is due to a combination of severe winter weather and Local Authorities having to cut their cloth in this period of harsh economic times and of course the UK Governments austerity measures. That said, I just wonder if it is not a false saving as Local Authorities are paying out more than ever in relation to compensation for damage to vehicles and injury caused by the state of our roads. Added to this there is more expense incurred as the pot holes get bigger and bigger and take more work to repair”. He continued “ The other important factor is road collisions. I wonder how many road collisions have occurred as a result of drivers trying to avoid pot holes?”