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Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Asked by Dr Al PinkertonLiberal DemocratDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 2 February 2026UIN 109413

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of developing a national strategy for improving the long-term resilience of the local road network.

Answered by Simon Lightwood

Following the publication of the Government’s Resilience Action Plan in July 2025, work is already underway to improve the short, medium and long-term resilience of the transport system, including the local road network, as part of the whole of society approach.

In December 2025, the Government published its Climate Adaptation Strategy for Transport, which now provides an overarching framework for improving the resilience of roads, rail and other transport networks to flooding and other climate risks. This includes commitments to introduce climate resilience standards by 2030, embed resilience into transport investment decisions, and work with sector bodies such as the UK Roads Leadership Group to support local highway authorities.

DfT also funds workshops delivered through the UK Roads Leadership Group to support capability‑building across the sector, and is updating the Well‑Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice which will continue to reflect a risk‑based, resilience‑focused approach to asset management.

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