LibDems stress roads should not be neglected

Commenting as Audit Scotland publish a report into the state of Scotland's road network, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Alison McInnes said:

"It is disappointing that our roads have deteriorated so much since the last survey.

"The severe winter weather of the last couple of years has clearly taken its toll. Hard pressed councils have been forced to squeeze road maintenance budgets to pay for services such as social work and education, but we neglect the essential asset of roads at our peril.

"The small pot of additional funding announced by the Government recently is only a sticking plaster remedy. The longer it takes to repair roads the costlier it gets.

"The Scottish Government has been complacent in not budgeting for the severe weather's impact on the roads. The transport minister needs to consider the implications of this report.

"Every car, bus and lorry driver knows our roads are getting worse, this audit is only of use if it results in action.

"I urge the government to look again at the balance of the share of resources between local and trunk road maintenance."