Written question asked by Richard Holden (Conservative) on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 5 March 2026. It was answered by Simon Lightwood (Labour) on Monday, 9 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115060, what examples her Department has identified of (a) decarbonisation of road maintenance operations and (b) preventative lower-carbon treatments referred to in Metric 9 of the Methodology used to calculate ratings for local road maintenance; and if she will publish the evidential basis for their inclusion in that metric.

Answer

Examples of activities relevant under this metric include the more efficient management of vehicle movements to both increase operational efficiency and cut carbon emissions. They also include the greater adoption of preventative road surface treatments, such as preservation, rejuvenation or surface dressing. These techniques keep roads in good condition for longer and prevent potholes, while also reducing carbon emissions and costs.

The Local Government Association published guidance for local highway authorities last year, which provides an overview of different road resurfacing techniques and sets out the benefits of preventative techniques in terms of higher value for money, reduced disruption to residents, and lower carbon emissions. The guidance is available online, at: https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/improving-highways-maintenance-productivity.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 117431
Session: 2024-26
Related items: Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday, 2 March 2026
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Electric vehicles Carbon emissions Roads Repairs and maintenance
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Secondary information

Librarians' tools