I welcome the NFU Mutual report published this week drawing attention to the state of the nation’s smaller and rural roads.
It’s an issue we’re well aware of, with our residents telling us that the condition of the county’s roads is one of their top concerns.
In Hertfordshire, we’ve just increased our highways budget with a £40 million programme of road maintenance and improvement schemes, including a new fund we’ve created specifically to improve the condition of the smaller, unclassified roads where most people live and work.
However, this is still unlikely to be enough to meet public expectations. The recent freezing weather has badly affected our roads, meaning we have seen twice as many pothole reports this winter compared to last year.
As such, we support the Local Government Association’s calls for an increase in government funding for local road maintenance. Investing in improving the condition of our roads now will reduce repair costs in the long run as well as improving journeys for motorists.
Rob Smith
Deputy Director for Highways
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