Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require local authorities to adopt unadopted roads that are (a) in a state of disrepair and (b) subject to public right of way.

The position under the 1980 Highways Act has not changed under successive governments.

The Department has no plans to review those parts of the Highways Act 1980 which cover the process for local highway authority adoption of private roads into the public road network. The legislation ensures that any new roads that are adopted and then maintained at public expense are built to the required standard. The Department provides advice to developers and highway authorities on these matters, which can be found on gov.uk at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-of-roads-by-highway-authorities.