State of roads debated
Page 12
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THE NATIONAL Road Maintenance Conditions Survey Miff discussed at length when the Standing Committee on Highwe Maintenance gave evidence to the Commons transport committe last week.
The standing committee was set up to co-operate in increasing efficiency in highway administration, taking into consideration the individual needs of each local area.
The National Survey is compiled each year to show how local authorities are coping with road maintenance. An average level of maintenance is worked out and areas above or below that level are marked out.
"If one area is nowhere near the average mark, then it should think closely about its road spending policies", North Yorkshire county surveyor, Colonel Gerry Leech, representing the Association of County Councils on the standing committee explained. Transport committee chai man Tom Bradley asked if tt Government was justified i using such a survey that wd "disliked" by many loc. authorities.
Colonel Leech, replied: "Ti Government would like to c more for the roads if it could, bi it has not got enough money. has said that the condition I trunk roads taken as a who over the country has not di viated much since the surve started in 1977."
Trunk roads in Britain wei improving until 1980, th standing committee explained Then in 1980 there was a declir which was stopped the fa lowing year.
Tenders for road maintenanc contracts also came unde discussion. Asking for tendei can only lead to better compel tion and better prices. "We ca get a better idea of what con panies feel each particula contract is worth", Colonr Leech said.
Local Authorities were often i the position of having to accer the lowest tender because of lack of funds. "However, once company has won the contract will usually try to push the pric up in as many ways as po: sible", said Robert Elliot of th Standing Committee.