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. For many it is a workplace hazard, a budgetary concern, and a symbol of systemic underinvestment.
Today, potholes, surface cracks, and emergency patchwork define too many of our streets. Queuing at road works are now part of a planned journey. But how did we get here? What can be done? And what does the future hold if change doesn’t come?
Let’s look at a brief history of England’s roads. Ask yourself, have you driven down a Roman road, if so, then that road is still being used after 2000 years??
A Legacy of Excellence: Roman and Victorian road making
As mentioned, that story begins with Rome. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Roman engineers laid down a road network across England that is still visible today. Routes like Watling Street and Fosse Way were built to move armies and goods quickly, with deep foundations, multiple stone layers, and cambered surfaces for drainage. Durability was the guiding principle. Many modern routes follow their ancient lines which is a testament to their foresight.
In the 19th century, the Victorians continued the legacy of robust public works. Engineers like John Loudon McAdam and Isambard Kingdom Brunel helped usher in the era of industrial road-building.
McAdam’s method of compacted crushed stone, known as “macadam”, laid the foundation for modern tarmac. Meanwhile, urban roads were surfaced with cobbles or granite setts, and maintained by Turnpike Trusts through tolls. These roads were built to handle carriage traffic, trade wagons, and later, the early motor car.
In both Roman and Victorian eras, infrastructure was viewed as a strategic investment and was built to last, not just to survive the next election cycle.
That said, Brunel and his contemporaries were aware of and sometimes humbled by the durability of Roman infrastructure. This sentiment sums up the Victorian view of Roman roads:-
“The Roman roads were built to endure millennia; we, with all our steam and iron, seem to struggle to match their permanence.”
So here lies the beginning of understanding the different problems faced by the Victorians and modern-day road builders in contrast to the Romans.
Why Victorians Couldn’t Completely Replicate the Quality of Roman Roads:
- Different Purpose: Roman roads were over-engineered for durability and military use. Victorian roads had to support rapidly evolving transport,first carriages, then rail, then early motor vehicles, so they often emphasised flexibility over permanence.
- Cost and Speed: Roman roads were built with immense labour over decades. Victorian Britain prioritised rapid industrial expansion and cost-efficiency, limiting how much effort could go into each road.
- Materials and Techniques: Roman roads often used deep, multi-layered stone foundations. Victorian roads, especially early on, used macadam (compact crushed stone), which wasn’t as long-lasting under heavy loads.
- Labour Systems: The Romans used slave labour and military engineering units. The Victorians, while employing vast numbers, did not have the same labour control or funding for mega-infrastructure over long timescales.
From Excellence to Emergency Patching: The Long Decline
Fast forward to today, and the picture could not be more different.
The Numbers Tell the Story:
- According to the 2024 ALARM Survey by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), it would take £16.8 billion to return local roads in England to an “ideal” standard. That is up from £16.3 billion the year before.
- 52% of England’s local road network, around 106,000 miles, has less than 15 years of structural life remaining.
- Over 1.9 million potholes were filled in 2024 alone at a cost of £137.4 million, but only 1.5% of the road network was resurfaced.
- The average resurfacing cycle has now stretched to 93 years, far beyond what any road surface is designed to withstand.
If you are a WEU member that drives for a living, or you work on or near road infrastructure then you would feel these consequences daily. Increased vehicle maintenance, lost working hours, health and safety concerns, and declining public trust in local government services is an all too often discussion with colleagues.
So why is the road system in England so poor?
Why Have England’s Roads Fallen Into Disrepair?
There are Several factors to discuss:
1. Chronic Underfunding
Over the past decade, local councils have seen significant cuts to highways budgets. Instead of regular, planned maintenance, they have been forced into “crisis mode” of filling potholes and making emergency repairs instead of resurfacing and strengthening roads. The 2024 ALARM report noted that councils needed £7.4 million more each last year just to hit their own maintenance targets.
2. Short-Termism in Government Funding
Central government funding is often disbursed year by year, leaving councils unable to plan ahead. This reactive model has proven inefficient and more expensive over time. A long-term problem cannot be solved with short-term thinking. What do you think?
3. Weather Extremes and Flooding
Climate challenges have made weather more volatile and England has seen increased flooding. Freeze-thaw cycles in winter, combined with road salt, create micro-cracks that expand rapidly. Heavy rainfall and flooding undermine foundations, and extreme heat can soften asphalt.
4. Utility Works
Repeated digging for water, gas, fibre-optic cables, and other services weakens road surfaces. When reinstatement is done poorly, it creates structural weak points that fail quickly under traffic.
5. Aging Road Stock
Many of our roads weren’t designed for today’s heavy traffic loads, particularly in suburban and rural areas. Lorries and buses place enormous strain on thin or old surfaces. The use of heavy farm yard equipment on roads in hot temperatures has been reported as damaging road surfaces.
Examples of Funding Mismanagement
While potholes multiply and roads crumble, eye-watering sums are sometimes spent elsewhere.
Take the Spalding Western Relief Road in Lincolnshire: It is reported that it is a £110 million project meant to ease A16 congestion. So far, £50 million has been spent, mostly on a bridge that currently leads nowhere. A further £33 million is still required to finish the remaining section by 2030. Although the council is reported to have earmarked £27.7 million in its 2025-26 budget for the southern stretch, this falls short of the estimated £50 million to 60 million required to finish the whole road.
Meanwhile, in North Yorkshire, £250,000 has been earmarked to replace old traffic lights. Local councillors have argued that this money would be better spent on road resurfacing, which is badly needed in the area.
These examples show how priorities can become skewed when local authorities face political or budgetary pressures without a clear long-term road strategy.
Can England’s Road be Fixed?
To reverse this decline and protect public safety, productivity, and pride, several steps are being discussed:
1. Five-Year, Ring-Fenced Funding
Local authorities need guaranteed budgets that span five years or more. This would allow them to plan comprehensive maintenance schedules and invest in cost-effective, long-term solutions rather than short-term patches.
2. Prioritise Preventative Maintenance
Techniques like surface dressing, which seals cracks and extends the life of a road by 10–15 years, should be deployed more widely. It’s far cheaper to prevent a pothole than to fill one.
3. Increase Resurfacing Rates
England must move toward resurfacing 4–5% of roads each year, not 1.5%. This would gradually restore road quality within 20–25 years.
4. Hold Utility Firms Accountable
Utility companies must be made to restore roads to pre-excavation standards, with fines or penalties for substandard reinstatement. Inspection regimes must be strengthened.
5. Use Smart Tech
New tools like AI-driven inspection vehicles, sensors, and drones can detect early signs of wear. Councils should invest in these technologies to catch problems before they become crises.
The WEU highlights what action it believes is required: –
The WEU mentioned that it is not just a transport issue. It’s a labour issue as well. Poor roads impact bus drivers, emergency services, freight hauliers, construction workers, civil engineers, postal workers, and countless others.
The WEU listens and does continue to highlight for our members, the need for:
- Increased capital investment in roads.
- Proper working conditions and fair pay for road crews.
- Worker consultation in road policy decisions.
- Safety-first approaches to all road maintenance and planning.
The WEU view is further highlighted by Stephen Morris, General Secretary, of the WEU when he said: –
“England once led the world in road-building. From the quality of Roman engineers to the precision of Victorian industrialists, our infrastructure was built to endure.
Today’s roads reflect not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of political will. If we want to return to a system that works, we must demand long-term thinking, proper funding, and pride in public infrastructure.
The choice is stark: keep patching holes year after year, or build something lasting for ourselves, our communities. For this to happen England needs proper representation”.