MAINTAINING MINOR RURAL ROADS: SOME POLICY RAMIFICATIONS OF A STUDY IN WALES

Research undertaken in three case study areas in rural Wales was highlighted that the deterioration of minor roads is a complex response to a number of factors but that it was primarily related to their general lack of structural integrity. It was also found that the maintenance of roads in the case study areas consisted of a continuing cycle of measures, designed to be holding operations rather than remedial actions improving the structural integrity of the carriageways concerned. This situation was related to the expenditure decisions made by both central and local government; to the damaginag effect of traffic and to the influence of the physical environment on road deterioration. In the light of the results achieved three broad categories of policy for further minor rural road maintenance are evaluated. (1) the imposition of traffic orders to reduce damage to carriageways and thus reduce demands upon maintenance budgets; (2) the abandonment of a local authority's obligation to maintain sections of the minor rural road network; (3) an increase of investment in minor rural roads to improve their structural integrity and thus reduce future maintenance demand. It is concluded that whilst options 1 and 2 may produce some benefits for minor road maintenance in rural Wales only option 3 provides for the continuation of an effective maintenance programme of roads essential to the economic and social development of rural areas. (Author/TRRL)

  • Availability:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This paper was presented during Seminar H, Highway Construction andMaintenance at PTRC's 11th Annual Summer Meeting, Sussex University, England, 4-7 July 1983.
  • Corporate Authors:

    PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

    110 Strand
    London WC2,   England 
  • Authors:
    • EDWARDS, G W
  • Conference:
  • Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: p. 105-118

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00382654
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • ISBN: 0-86050-112-4
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Volume P240
  • Files: ITRD, TRIS
  • Created Date: May 30 1984 12:00AM