The Buckinghamshire Liberal Democrats have issued a stark warning over the condition of the county’s roads, citing a £210 million repair backlog and an official “amber” warning from the Department for Transport (DfT) as evidence of what they describe as a mounting infrastructure crisis.
The party is calling for urgent intervention and greater transparency from the Conservative-led Buckinghamshire Council, accusing it of years of underinvestment that have left the road network in a “perilous” state. Cllr Susan Morgan, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council and representative for Aylesbury North, said residents are “right to be absolutely furious” about the deteriorating road conditions. “This isn’t just a minor inconvenience,” she said. “What we’ve learnt from sources represents a monumental failure of infrastructure management, coming on top of the DfT’s critical amber warning.” Morgan rejected claims of “record investment” made by Cllr Steven Broom, the council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, arguing that current funding levels are insufficient to prevent further decline. She also criticised Conservative councillors for voting against a Liberal Democrat proposal to allocate additional funding for repairs. The Liberal Democrats argue that crumbling roads are not only damaging vehicles but also posing safety risks, particularly to cyclists and motorcyclists. Cllr Anja Schaeffer, who represents Buckingham, described the situation as “getting dangerous,” adding that residents risk damage to their cars — and in the case of those on two wheels, potentially their lives — each time they travel. The party further claims that Buckinghamshire ranks as the sixth worst council in the country for compensation payouts related to pothole damage, compounding frustration among residents already facing cost-of-living pressures. “It is an insult to every taxpayer that our essential road network is being left to rot,” Morgan said. Cllr Jonathan Waters, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat group and representative for Penn, Tylers Green and Loudwater, warned that current resurfacing rates are unsustainable. “With only 3.3% of our roads resurfaced each year, we are looking at a scenario where many roads will need to last 30 years or more before renewal — far exceeding their lifespan,” he said. “To see real improvement in our road conditions, we must increase our efforts in resurfacing and preventative maintenance now.” The Liberal Democrats are demanding that the Conservative administration acknowledge what they describe as a halving of road maintenance budgets under previous Conservative-led councils and governments, and publish a clear strategy to address the growing backlog. Their message to the council leadership, they say, is straightforward: provide a credible plan to repair Buckinghamshire’s roads and restore public confidence in the county’s infrastructure management. The Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet have been asked for a statement.
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