The SNP government are letting Scotland’s roads crumble following revelations that Scotland’s road repair backlog has risen to an eyewatering £2.6 billion – with the Fife backlog alone soaring to over £100 million, the Perth and Kinross backlog soaring to almost £100 million and the Clackmannanshire backlog soaring to £11 million.
Information obtained by FOI has revealed that the current estimated cost of the repair backlog for local roads in Scotland has risen to over £2,562,057,538, despite four Local Authorities not providing the requested data. The Fife estimated cost of the repair backlog has risen to £100,329,000. This is a rise in Fife of £22,729,000 since 2022. The Perth and Kinross estimated cost of the repair backlog has risen to £99,725,000. This is a rise in Perth and Kinross of £11,025,000 since 2022. The Clackmannanshire estimated cost of the repair backlog has risen to £11,000,000. This is a rise in Clackmannanshire of £3,500,000 since 2022.
There have been years of brutal cuts to Council budgets by the SNP government, which have hit unringfenced areas such as transport particularly hard.
Under the SNP, Scotland’s roads have been left to crumble and drivers are paying the price.
The cost for fixing the backlog of repairs in Fife has increased by almost £23 million and now sits at a staggering £100 million. Councils are struggling with massive levels of underfunding from the Scottish Government and the continued hollowing out council budgets is completely unacceptable.
My office gets regular contact from constituents regarding the state of roads and when I raise this with Ministers they point the finger at councils but fail to acknowledge they have cut the council budgets to the bone. I am urging Ministers to work with councils to develop a funded approach to fixing our broken roads infrastructure.
I continue to urge all road users to report any potholes they come across. It is much more difficult to claim compensation for a pothole causing damage if it has not already been reported as local authorities can claim they were unaware of the issue.
As such, if you come across potholes in Fife please report them here: www.fife.gov.uk/services/form-pages/report-a-road-or-pavement-fault or report by calling 03451 55 00 11 from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
If you come across potholes in Perth and Kinross please report them here: www.pkc.gov.uk/article/14914/Report-a-road-or-street-lighting-fault or those of an immediate danger or hazard – phone 01738 476476.
If you come across potholes in Clackmannanshire please report them here: www.clacks.gov.uk/council/reportit or any urgent problems causing an immediate danger should be reported immediately by phoning the contact centre on 01259 450000 (24 hours).
Estimated cost of current repair backlog for roads:
| 2022 | 2024 | |
| Aberdeeen City | not held | not held |
| Aberdeenshire | 99,228,000 | 115,576,000 |
| Angus | 55,454,000 | not held |
| Argyll and Bute | 112,351,000 | 112,251,000 |
| City of Edinburgh | 77,346,000 | 85,719,000 |
| Clackmannanshire | 7,500,000 | 11,000,000 |
| Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | 61,600,000 | 43,205,000 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 217,000,000 | 253,471,000 |
| Dundee City | not held | not held |
| East Ayrshire | 55,262,000 | 53,050,000 |
| East Dunbartonshire | not held | 598,454,000 |
| East Lothian | ||
| East Renfrewshire | 25,302,000 | 27,000,000 |
| Falkirk | 42,337,000 | 47,665,000 |
| Fife | 77,600,000 | 100,329,000 |
| Glasgow City | 95,600,000 | 104,082,538 |
| Inverclyde | 15,026,000 | |
| Midlothian | 27,244,000 | 37,270,000 |
| North Ayrshire | 34,800,000 | 38,565,000 |
| North Lanarkshire | not held | 73,973,000 |
| Orkney Islands | 62,000,000 | 19,031,000 |
| Perth and Kinross | 88,700,000 | 99,725,000 |
| Renfrewshire | 47,500,000 | 38,160,000 |
| Borders | 97,280,000 | 123,215,000 |
| Shetland Islands | 33,373,000 | 33,933,000 |
| South Ayrshire | 46,441,000 | 50,600,000 |
| South Lanarkshire | 90,420,000 | 90,420,000 |
| Stirling | 142,000,000 | 57,070,000 |
| The Highland | 194,800,000 | 233,631,000 |
| The Moray | 40,706,000 | 46,469,000 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 14,244,000 | 15,166,000 |
| West Lothian | 31,067,000 | 38,001,000 |
| Total | 1,877,155,000 | 2,562,057,538 |
Source: Scottish Labour FOI
