Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 32
32
Accepted
Department provides outdated guidance for local authorities on road network maintenance.
Recommendation
The Department is responsible for providing guidance to local authorities in England to help them run and maintain their road networks, but has not updated its guidance for several years.70 Such guidance has included good practice proactive maintenance to reduce the number of potholes, a Code of Practice on managing highway infrastructure, and road repair guides. For example, the Department has not reviewed or updated the highways maintenance appraisal tool, which is based on assumptions that are almost 10 years old.71
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to refresh the 'Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure' guidance, commissioning TRL to develop a scope for the updated guidance, which is estimated to take 12-18 months. They will also consider linking compliance with the revised guidance to funding qualification.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: September 2026 6.2 The government agrees that the current guidance that has been provided to local highway authorities through the ‘Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure’ document should be refreshed. The department has commissioned TRL to work with the sector to develop a scope for the refreshed guidance regarding where there may be gaps in the current guidance, such as around some environmental matters. The department will consider further whether, and if so how, local highway authorities might be required to comply with certain best practice criteria set out in the revised guidance to qualify for some or all of the funding. 6.3 The update to the code of practice is currently estimated to take between 12 and 18 months, so it will not be feasible to link it to the incentive element directly, which will be in place from quarter one in financial year 2025-26.