Risks to the quality and efficiency of maintenance of main road network
Overdue maintenance for second time in ten years
The Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment (I&M) has not set aside enough money to maintain motorways and main roads until the end of 2020. The House of Representatives does not have a full understanding of the cost of maintenance, yet it must ultimately approve the use of the Infrastructure Fund. In 2011 the Minister of I&M had had to inject additional funding for the second time in ten years because the budget to maintain the main road network was structurally lower than necessary. An investigation by the Court of Audit found a shortfall of €700 million in the Minister’s budget for the years to the end of 2020. The Minister has since taken measures but they have not eliminated the shortfall in full. Risks have arisen regarding traffic flows on and the quality of the main road network because maintenance, renovation and replacement are being postponed. Overdue maintenance, moreover, is often more expensive.