North MSP and Shadow Roads Minister to query Minister about state of Scottish roads

6th February 2015

Reacting to a survey by the AA, Highlands & Islands (Including Moray) MSP, Shadow Transport Minister and road safety campaigner, David Stewart said it is a pretty bad recognition for Scotland to learn that as a nation we have more potholes than anywhere else in the UK.

Speaking today (5/2/15) he said "According to the survey, Scotland has 8.9 potholes per mile on the road and 2.81 potholes per mile on the pavement. Overall the numbers of potholes in UK roads has fallen slightly - with a national average of 6.25 potholes per mile".

He continued “ In Scotland more than half of all road signs and road markings need repaired or improved”.

“ The Scottish Government set up what is called the Roads Maintenance Review Group, a collaboration between all road authorities in Scotland, which sets out how Transport Scotland and its partners can work together to maintain our roads more efficiently in the years ahead by making best use of available resources.”

David Stewart went on “ This Group, which involves most in the roads related sector including COSLA, are in place to identify a strategic framework for change which will embed best practice, ensure value for money and assist road authorities optimise the delivery of road maintenance services. They are also in place to established 30 evidence based initiatives which are estimated to deliver up to 10% efficiency savings and recommended that a central resource is established to encourage councils to design and deliver a package of shared service initiatives”.

“ All this is very good if what they propose and come up with is put into practice, but I am afraid that as I go about the Highlands Islands and Moray for example, or travel to Edinburgh or Glasgow it certainly looks to me like we have some way of going to improve the state of our roads”.

“Today, I will be writing to the Minister for Transport and the Islands, Derek Mackay MSP, to ask when the Roads Maintenance Review Group last met, how progress against their own aims and objectives with regards roads improvement is being achieved. I will also be asking if the Scottish Government will be providing any extra funding to local Authorities to help them repair their damaged roads, especially after a few weeks of severe wintry weather”.

“ As a road safety campaigner, one of the key elements of improving road safety is to make sure our roads are fit for purpose and markings and signage are clear and visible. However, I have also to state that people have to remember that the Government have put a stranglehold on funding for Local Authorities, this limits the amount they can spend on services and roads. In Scotland they are responsible for 51,000km of roads whilst the Government are directly responsible for only 3500 km. The other side of the coin is that the tax payer is forking out nearly £3 million in compensation claims for damage and injury caused by potholes”.