As a seasoned driver and BBC radio presenter, I have witnessed firsthand the frustration that road works can bring to motorists across the country. From lengthy delays on the M6 to the patchwork of temporary traffic lights plaguing villages like Clanfield, it’s clear that our aging infrastructure is in dire need of attention.
According to National Highways, which manages England’s motorways and major routes, much of the network was built in the 1960s and 1970s and is now reaching the end of its “serviceable life.” This has led to a surge in essential maintenance and upgrade work, with a staggering 2.2 million street and road works carried out between 2022 and 2023, costing the economy an estimated £4 billion.
For HGV driver Brett Baines, these delays can have a significant impact on his livelihood. “The knock-on effect can be late deliveries, for which sometimes the company or the customer gets charged,” he explains. And for small business owners like Angela Collinge, who runs a pet shop in Rochdale, the constant roadworks have driven away regular customers, severely impacting her bottom line.
The problem is not just limited to England, as Wales also grapples with the need for “essential maintenance work” on its 1960s and 1970s-era highway infrastructure. However, the extent to which disruption from road works will increase in Scotland and Northern Ireland remains less clear.
Local authorities are trying to mitigate the impact, employing measures such as permit schemes to exert more control over when and how work is carried out. But the issue of “immediate permits” used for urgent or emergency work, where councils are given little advance warning, has been a point of contention.
The government has acknowledged the problem, doubling fines for street work offences and promising to increase funding for local road repairs to over £2 billion per year by 2030. But as Nick Adams-King, the leader of Hampshire County Council, points out, the annual budget for his area is only around £70 million, making the task of bringing roads up to scratch a significant challenge.
Utility companies, represented by Streetworks UK, maintain that the majority of their work is carried out in a planned and coordinated manner. However, cases like the RHS Garden Wisley, which lost nearly £14 million in visitor revenue due to roadworks on the M25, highlight the need for better communication and a more balanced approach to infrastructure upgrades.
As the government continues to prioritize economic growth through improved infrastructure, it seems that road works are here to stay. The question is whether they can be managed more effectively to minimize the impact on daily commutes, businesses, and the collective patience of the nation’s motorists.