Report reveals Falkirk Council has no cash for proper road repairs

A report to the council’s scrutiny committee reveals that constant budget cuts mean most roads are now getting surface treatment rather than structural repairs in a bid to make an 
ever-shrinking budget stretch.

In 2018, the department had forecast that 56 per cent of its roads were expected to be in need of improvement by 2020.

But switching to surface treatment rather than structural repairs means that 
figure is now 47 per cent.

However the report warns that “surface treatment does not provide the same extension to the life of a carriageway as structural maintenance”.

Councillor Jim Blackwood said: “It’s worrying that we have taken a cosmetic approach to the roads using surface treatment and in the long term, I don’t think this is the answer.

“This is storing up problems for the future.”

Grangemouth councillor David Balfour said he had concerns about road safety as some roads were not being re-marked with white lines quickly after they had been repaired.

He said: “I have issues with line painting once a road has been repaired – it’s taking months and months and I’ve been told it’s getting done and it hasn’t been done. Is there anyway this can be speeded up?”

Douglas Duff said the roads department would look at the issue.