§ Ms Rosie WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the current backlog in road maintenance on(a) trunk roads and (b) other adopted roads. [43188]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonIn December last year, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced an increase of 50% in the Highways Agency's provision of capital maintenance on trunk roads and motorways to £300m for 1998–99. It is estimated that this will overcome underfunding in recent years and hold the trunk road network in a steady state condition. There is currently no central government estimate of maintenance backlog for local authority roads. Road maintenance for the future is an issue which we are considering in the Comprehensive Spending Review.