Roadworks backlog would cost £100 million

A “serious backlog” of maintenance work on the Island’s roads is totalling £100 million.

That’s according to Infrastructure Minister David Cretney who says the current levels of expenditure on maintaining the roads aren’t keeping pace with the rate of deterioration.

He was answering questions in the House of Keys yesterday tabled by North Douglas MHK Bill Henderson who wanted to know why the Island’s roads were deteriorating.

Mr Cretney revealed the 725 mile road network would cost £1.5 billion to construct from scratch – and that currently 30 per cent of the network requires some intervention.

A typical road is likely to last between 50 and 100 years which means the Island should be spending about £21 million per year on planned maintenance whereas it’s only currently spending £6.5 million.