Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Accepted
Committee took evidence from the Department on local road condition and maintenance in England.
Conclusion
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Transport (the Department) on the condition and maintenance of local roads in England.1
Government Response Summary
The government, treating this conclusion as a recommendation, commits to publishing a document on Gov.UK summarising legal responsibilities and expectations for highways maintenance. It will also set targets for local road condition in integrated settlement frameworks from 2025-26, extending to all Local Transport Authorities by 2026-27.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. maintenance is a vital part of ensuring the devolution process is successful. The department for Transport will publish a short document on Gov.UK summarising the legal responsibilities that government and local authorities have with regard to highways maintenance and the expectations that government has of local authorities with regard to following best practice. The department is also considering how it can use outcome frameworks to set clear expectations in relation to highways maintenance. For the financial year 2025-26, this includes setting targets (e.g. against the condition of local roads) in frameworks underpinning integrated settlements where relevant funding is being consolidated (e.g. for Greater Manchester Combined Authority where City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements and additional highways maintenance incentive allocation is consolidated). These targets will be extended to other integrated settlement recipients in future financial years when relevant funding is consolidated (e.g. for West Midlands Combined Authority in financial year 2026-27). The department is working to set transport outcomes for all other Local Transport Authorities that will not receive integrated settlements, from financial year 2026-27. This underpins the department’s commitment to simplify funding, enabling Local Transport Authorities to better spend funding according to their local priorities and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy. As with the integrated settlement recipients, the department expect the outcomes for all Local Transport Authorities to include aspects around the condition of local highways, for example.