England’s Roads: From Ruin to Repair

Once the pride of a nation, England’s roads are now a crumbling reminder of what happens when essential infrastructure is neglected. For WEU members working in public services, construction, transport, and logistics, the state of our roads isn’t just a talking point—it’s a workplace hazard, a budgetary concern, and a symbol of systemic underinvestment.

A Legacy of Excellence: Roman and Victorian Road Making

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Roman engineers laid down a road network across England that remains visible today. Routes like Watling Street and Fosse Way were built with deep foundations, multiple stone layers, and cambered surfaces for drainage—durability was the guiding principle. Many modern routes follow their ancient lines, a testament to their foresight.

In the 19th century, the Victorians continued this legacy. Engineers such as John Loudon McAdam and Isambard Kingdom Brunel introduced methods like compacted crushed stone (“macadam”) and robust cobbled urban roads, maintained by Turnpike Trusts. These roads were built to handle carriage traffic, trade wagons, and early motor cars.

Strategic investment was paramount—roads were built to last, not merely to survive the next election cycle.

Why Victorians Couldn’t Completely Replicate Roman Quality

Although the Victorians admired Roman permanence, several factors prevented them from matching it:

• Different Purpose: Roman roads were over-engineered for military use; Victorian roads emphasised flexibility to support evolving transport modes.
• Cost and Speed: Roman roads took decades and vast labour to build; Victorian Britain prioritised rapid industrial expansion and cost-efficiency.
• Materials and Techniques: Deep, multi-layered Roman foundations outlasted early macadam surfaces under heavy loads.
• Labour Systems: Roman slave labour and military engineers optimised efficiency; Victorians lacked similar labour control or long-term funding.

From Excellence to Emergency Patching: The Long Decline

Today, potholes, surface cracks, and emergency patchwork define too many of our streets. A routine journey often means queuing at roadworks. But how did we get here?

The Numbers Tell the Story

According to the 2024 ALARM Survey by the Asphalt Industry Alliance:

• £16.8 billion is needed to return local roads to an “ideal” standard, up from £16.3 billion last year.
• 52% of the network (around 106,000 miles) has less than 15 years of structural life remaining.
• Over 1.9 million potholes were filled in 2024 at a cost of £137.4 million, yet only 1.5% of roads were resurfaced.
• The average resurfacing cycle now stands at 93 years—far beyond any design life.

If you drive for a living or work on/near infrastructure, these figures translate into increased vehicle maintenance, lost hours, health and safety concerns, and declining public trust.

Why Have England’s Roads Fallen Into Disrepair?

Several factors combine to create our current crisis:

1. Chronic Underfunding: Councils have cut highways budgets, forcing emergency repairs instead of planned maintenance. The 2024 ALARM report noted councils needed an extra £7.4 million just to meet their own targets.
2. Short-Termism in Funding: Central government grants are annual, preventing long-term planning—reactive fixes cost more over time.
3. Weather Extremes and Flooding: Freeze-thaw cycles, road salt, heavy rainfall, and extreme heat all accelerate deterioration.
4. Utility Works: Repeated excavations for water, gas, and fibre-optic cables weaken surfaces—poor reinstatement creates weak points.
5. Aging Road Stock: Many roads weren’t designed for today’s heavy lorries and buses, especially in rural areas.

Examples of Funding Mismanagement

The Spalding Western Relief Road in Lincolnshire is budgeted at £110 million to ease A16 congestion. So far, £50 million has been spent—mostly on a bridge that leads nowhere—and a further £33 million is required. Meanwhile in North Yorkshire, £250,000 is earmarked for traffic lights replacement when resurfacing is direly needed.

These cases show how priorities become skewed without a clear long-term road strategy.

Can England’s Roads Be Fixed?

To reverse the decline, several measures are vital:

• Five-Year, Ring-Fenced Funding: Guaranteed multi-year budgets allow comprehensive maintenance and long-term planning.
• Prioritise Preventative Maintenance: Surface dressing can extend road life by 10–15 years at low cost—much cheaper than filling potholes.
• Increase Resurfacing Rates: Resurfacing 4–5% of roads annually (instead of 1.5%) could restore quality within two decades.
• Hold Utility Firms Accountable: Enforce pre-excavation standards, with fines for substandard reinstatement.
• Use Smart Tech: AI-driven inspections, sensors, and drones can detect early wear and prevent crises.

For further insight, see our in-depth analysis of road repair crises.

The WEU View

The WEU emphasises that poor roads impact bus drivers, emergency services, freight hauliers, construction workers, civil engineers, postal workers, and many others.

The WEU calls for:

• Increased capital investment in roads.
• Fair pay and proper working conditions for road crews.
• Worker consultation in road policy decisions.
• Safety-first approaches to all maintenance and planning.

“England once led the world in road-building. From Roman precision to Victorian innovation, our infrastructure was built to endure. Today’s roads reflect not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of political will. We must demand long-term thinking, proper funding, and pride in public infrastructure.”—Stephen Morris, General Secretary, WEU

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