Investment in Glasgow’s roads “falls short” of the amount needed to keep them in their current condition by over £11 million.
Almost £31m per year would be required to maintain a “steady state”, a road infrastructure condition report has revealed, but currently £19.7m is spent.
Public satisfaction with roads maintenance has dropped to its lowest level since 2011 (17%) while, according to the latest data, potholes reports were over 20,000.
Without extra funding for new street lights, the “risk of injury” to the public from collapse or exposure to electrical wiring is increased.
A council spokesman said staff “maximise” resources to maintain the road network to “the highest possible standard”, prioritising the “most serious issues”. He added the report is intended to inform councillors before the council’s budget meeting in February.
The annual report found: 71.7% of carriageways are in an acceptable condition Around 41% of the city’s 74,000 street lighting columns are beyond their expected service life Approximately 54% of Glasgow’s over 900 traffic signals need replaced Road infrastructure covers carriageways, footpaths, cycle lanes, traffic signals, lighting, street furniture, the Clyde Tunnel and structures such as bridges.
Officials recommend an annual investment of £13.95m in carriageways over five years, up from £10.9m. Spending £12.85m would maintain a “steady state”.
Following the recommendation would “lead to the Glasgow road network being in the best condition in over a decade”, they said.
Currently, shorter-term “preventative treatments” are taken to “extend the life of the surface”, but “do not address any underlying structural issues”.
Officials have said the “deteriorating condition” of street lighting “poses an increasing risk” to the public. Extra inspections are being carried out to remove columns in “the poorest condition”.
Under the current investment level (£2.5m), columns will “continue to deteriorate and the risk of injury by column collapse or exposure to electrical wiring will increase”. Over £6.5m is needed per year over 15 years is needed to replace up to 30,800 “at-risk” columns and cabling.
The annual report also recommends an investment of £27.5m over five years to replace “all ageing” traffic signals and “provide modern low energy LED lights along with fully compliant tactile paving and indicators”.
Data revealed over 81% of footways are in “good or fair condition” while 2.9% show “major or structural deterioration” and 15.9% have “minor deterioration such as cracking”. It showed 94% of the “primary cycle network” is in good or fair condition.