Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of whether road maintenance issues contribute to the pattern of road-traffic collisions in South Basildon and East Thurrock.

The Department has not made an assessment of whether road maintenance issues contribute to the pattern of road-traffic collisions in South Basildon and East Thurrock.

This Government takes the condition of our country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local authorities in maintaining and renewing the local highway network. At the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that by 2029-30, the Government will commit over £2 billion annually for local authorities to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes – doubling funding since coming into office. This record level of funding is enough to fill millions of potholes each year, enabling the Government to exceed its commitment to fix an additional one million potholes per year.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances.