Drivers in the West Midlands should temper expectations of swift improvements to the region’s deteriorating roads, despite recent boosts in maintenance funding. According to the latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey, local authorities are grappling with a staggering £1.94 billion backlog to fix potholes, cracks, and other road damages.
Only 46 percent of roads in the West Midlands are currently classified as being in ‘good structural condition’. Alarmingly, over 15 percent of roads—amounting to more than 3,000 miles—have less than five years of usable life remaining. Additionally, 54 percent of the region’s network, nearly 11,000 miles, is expected to last under 15 years without intervention.
Last year alone, local authorities needed an additional £117 million beyond their budgets to meet their own maintenance targets and stave off further decline. In total, 231,478 potholes were repaired across the region at a cost of £18.2 million.
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While highway maintenance budgets across England and Wales are set to increase by 17 percent in 2025/26, averaging £30.5 million per authority, tangible improvements remain elusive on the ground. The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), which commissions the ALARM survey, warns that increased funding, although welcome, is not a quick fix.
David Giles, chair of the AIA, described the condition of local roads as a “national disgrace,” noting that a decade of data shows the growing cost to bring roads up to standard. He emphasized that frequent adverse weather combined with chronic underfunding has left the network fragile and vulnerable.
AA president Edmund King OBE highlighted that prolonged wet weather and poor road conditions have turned many local roads into “patchwork obstacle courses,” impacting drivers’ safety and comfort.
Giles added that while local highway engineers are cautiously optimistic about the recent government funding boost—augmented by local budgets—it is unlikely to clear the repair backlog soon. He suggested that accelerating funding delivery before 2030 could shift efforts from reactive pothole patching to proactive resurfacing programs. These preventive measures would enhance road quality and reduce the formation of new potholes, ultimately benefiting all road users sooner.
The full ALARM 2026 report detailing the state of road maintenance will be published on March 17.