Bucks Roads in Crisis: Liberal Democrats Demand Action on £210m Repair Backlog

Buckinghamshire Liberal Democrats are shocked to have learnt of a massive £210 million road repair backlog, on top of an official "amber" warning from the Department for Transport (DFT), saying that this represents damning evidence of the critical state of the county's road network.

The party is demanding immediate action and transparency from the Conservative-led administration, blaming years of underinvestment for the perilous state of local roads.

“Buckinghamshire residents are right to be absolutely furious about the state of our roads,” states Cllr Susan Morgan, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Bucks Council, who represents Aylesbury North. “This isn’t just a minor inconvenience.

What we’ve learnt from sources represents a monumental failure of infrastructure management, coming on top of the DFT’s critical amber warning.” Cllr Morgan dismissed claims of 'record investment' by Cllr Broom, Cabinet Member for Highways, “the budget is barely enough to stabilise a network that is clearly collapsing and astonishingly he and his colleagues voted against an opposition proposal to allocate extra funds for repairs.”

“Our families are being forced to navigate increasingly cratered surfaces daily, putting lives at risk and causing costly damage,” Cllr Morgan added. “And yet, Bucks is the 6th worst Council in the country for payouts for damage caused by potholes at a time when residents are struggling with the cost of living. It is an insult to every taxpayer that our essential road network is being left to rot.”

Cllr Anja Schaeffer from Buckingham said ““The state of our roads is getting dangerous. Every time they go anywhere, residents risk damage to their cars and, if they are on two-wheels, their lives.”

Cllr Jonathan Waters, Lib Dem Deputy Leader, representing Penn, Tylers Green and Loudwater, reinforced the inevitable outcome built into the situation. “With only 3.3% of our roads resurfaced each year, we are looking at a scenario where many roads will need to last 30 years or more before renewal– far exceeding their lifespan. To see real improvement in our road conditions, we must increase our efforts in resurfacing and preventative maintenance now. This is vital to protect our infrastructure and minimise expensive repairs in the future.”

The Liberal Democrats are demanding immediate action and transparency from the administration. Their message to the Conservative leadership is clear: stop insulting the taxpayer, own up to the halving of road maintenance budgets in previous years that took place under Conservative council administrations and Conservative governments, and provide a clear and believable strategy for how they intend to put our roads back together.