All Party Parliamentary Group on Better Roads
Meeting
6 December 2022
Dining Room C, Parliament
Parliamentarian Attendees:
Sir Christopher Chope MP (Chair)
Sir Bill Wiggin MP
Sir Greg Knight MP
Non-Parliamentarians in attendance
Rick Green, Asphalt Industry Alliance
Malcolm Simms, Asphalt Industry Alliance
Katharine Kelly, Institute of Highway Engineers
Martin Polland, Institute of Highway Engineers
Samantha Stagg, JRPR on behalf of Asphalt Industry Alliance
Robert McIlveen, Mineral Products Association
Discussion
Rick Green led a discussion on the Pothole Action Fund, following up on the discussion at the Inaugural meeting of the group. A summary paper of his comments is appended.
Looking over the various data sources, the measures of success available tended to show that for the years of the PAF, the conditions on the road network improved somewhat, with an increase in the proportion that were in good condition (from 48% to 55%).
The discussion that followed focused on the importance of the ringfence to securing this outcome and how to pursue restoring a ringfenced fund for local highways authorities.
There was also a discussion of Local Authority performance and funding, referring to data available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/highways-maintenance-funding-allocations/highways-maintenance-funding-formula-allocations-2021-to-2022.
Actions:
- APPG Secretariat to turn Rick’s presentation into a discussion paper to be published by the APPG in 2023
- APPG secretariat to provide WPQs for members to support the case for investment