Comment from the AIA following Chancellors October 2026 Budget

David Giles, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA)...

“The Chancellor’s Budget speech today had little in terms of hope for local roads and was another lost opportunity to tackle the resilience issues that are all too  evident to road users.

“The DfT reported last week that record funding produced record results with nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing taking place this year^[1]. While it is a step in the right direction, this only equates to improvements to 3% of the 204,000 miles of local roads in England and Wales.

“More still needs to be done – and quickly – if we are going to end the pothole patch and mend cycle that has been a fixture for far too long and resulted in a £18.62^[2] billion repair backlog.

“Local roads are the lifeblood of our society. They carry the goods and services to support a thriving, modern economy and help keep communities connected. But, almost half are classified in our 2026 ALARM survey as having less than 15 years structural life remaining^[3].

“We understand the challenges the Chancellor has , but our Budget submission to HM Treasury included a call for re-phasing the Government’s £7.3 billion allocation to 2030 to release more of the allocated capital funding sooner. This would have provided noticeable benefits for road users through improved road conditions as well as helping to drive the economy and save taxpayers money in the long run.”

[1] Record funding, record results: 7,000 miles of smoother journeys as government tackles potholes - GOV.UK

[2] Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA’s) Annual Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey report 2026

[3] https://www.asphaltuk.org/wp-content/uploads/ALARM-Survey-2026.pdf, pages 18-19