On 20 March the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey 2018* was released highlighting the number of potholes on our roads.   Lesley spoke to local BBC Radio Leeds about the impact for the road haulage fraternity.  ‘More potholes mean more breakdowns mean more roadworks and more delays’ said Lesley.  With an increase in online purchases very few deliveries begin and end on a motorway or trunk road.  There is therefore a requirement for increased commitment to local roads as well as main roads.  The road network is our industry’s place of work.  Road conditions affect our ability to do our job well.  The Asphalt Industry Alliance report claims that ‘one in five of local roads are now classed as structurally poor – with less than five years’ life remaining’.   The long term strategy for roads must include traffic flow, signalling technology and information technology. President of the AA, Edmund King pointed out that responding to a Parliamentary question, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Transport Jesse Norman revealed that four cyclists had been killed and 60 seriously injured in 2016 following accidents involving pothole and since 2007 defective road surfaces have contributed to 22 cyclist deaths  and 368 serious injury incidents!

*The ALARM survey 2018 was completed by 60% of authorities responsible for roads in England, London and Wales and was carried out during December 2017, January and February 2018