Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased usage of heavy vehicles on recent trends in the levels of expenditure on road maintenance and repairs.

The increased usage of heavy vehicles is one of many factors affecting road condition. Others include weather, overall traffic volumes, the age of the road and standard to which it was constructed, and the topography of the area. It is the responsibility of individual highway authorities to maintain and improve their networks, based on local circumstances.

The Government has recognised the pressures on local highway networks and is providing almost £1.6 billion for local highway maintenance in 2025/26, an increase of £500 million compared to 2024/25. This funding is not ring-fenced, and it is a matter for local authorities to determine how it is best spent. The Department is also committed to updating its guidance to local highway authorities on how to manage their networks, which will include advice on matters of this sort.