[url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200001/cmselect/cmenvtra/381/381m03.htm]LINK[/url] said:
...In the 1997 White Paper A New Deal for Transport, the Government announced that its priority for the road system is to make "best use of the roads we already have". This means that the maintenance for existing roads is of the highest importance....
......The main cause of accidents is driver error, with other primary causes being road layout and road surfaces. A particular concern is that the carriageway should have a rugous surface. This should prevent dry skids and, by allowing water to drain away, greatly diminish skidding in wet weather. The restoration of skid resistance to road surfaces is a major aim in preventative maintenance. In 1999, 14 per cent of all accidents involved skidding vehicles, 18.3 per cent in wet conditions........
Evidence of neglect is apparent even to the untrained eye. Signs indicating slippery road surfaces have been posted on the M6 and wheel track rutting can be observed on inner lanes of the M3, M11 and M25, especially apparent as the surface dries after rain. Indications are much more overt on local roads where potholes, bald patches and sunken trenches can be noted. The misshape of many of our local roads has also been noticeable after recent heavy rain as they are often not self draining.