Dumfries and Galloway is facing a significant road repair backlog, with the estimated cost of fixing the problem now exceeding £250 million. Data obtained by Scottish Labour through Freedom of Information requests shows the repair backlog has risen from £217,000,000 in 2022 to £253,471,000 in 2024.
Colin Smyth, Member of the Southern Scottish Parliament, attributes this increase in costs to drastic cuts in local government budgets by the Scottish Government, which have particularly affected transport funding.
According to Smyth, these financial cuts have led to a deterioration in the condition of local roads.
Smyth commented: “These staggering figures expose the terrible state of our local roads after years of brutal neglect under the SNP. They have cut local government funding to the limit, leaving roads across the region to decay and taxpayers to foot the bill.”
He also highlighted that Dumfries and Galloway, which has the third largest road network in Scotland, is one of the regions with the least government funding for road maintenance.
“Our potholed roads are a daily reminder of how badly the Scottish Government has failed communities and failed to fund them properly,” added Smyth. “The Scottish Government must stop burying its head in the sand and show leadership to clean up the mess it has created.”
