The Impact of Central Government Policies on Local Authorities’ Transport Expenditure and Provision: 4. The Maintenance of Local Roads

BACKGROUND

This report presents results from the third stage of a research project, funded by the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund, the aim of which is to assess the impact of recent changes in central government policies and powers in relation to local government finance upon local authorities1 transport expenditure and outputs, and upon their ability to address effectively local transport problems and needs.

This is the fourth in a series of Working Papers on this research. The first Working Paper (Sanderson, 1988a) reviewed relevant changes in central government policies and financial control mechanisms since 1979 and identified major research issues. The second Working Paper (Sanderson, 1988b) presented results from an analysis of trends over the period since 1979/80 in local authoritiesr transport expenditure relative to the Government's spending plans and provisions, attempting to identify impacts of central government policies and controls for more detailed examination.

This more detailed examination has been undertaken on the basis of information providedby a sample of English local authorities. A third Working Paper (Sanderson, 1988~) presented an analysis of developments in respect of local road construction and improvement since 1985/86, when Transport Supplementary Grant (TSG) was restricted to supporting capital expenditure on roads of 'more than local importancer. That paper examined the operation of the TSG system in the context of wider systems for the control of local authorities1 capital spending.

The present Working Paper examines local authorities1 recent record in respect of the maintenance of local roads in the context of changes in central government policies and financial control systems and constitutes the final piece of substantive research for this study.