West Yorkshire Transport Asset Management Plan

Our ambition is to ensure that we make best use of our existing and future transport assets. We aim to ensure our transport networks are fit for the future and properly managed in a safe, sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost effective way.

The West Yorkshire Transport Asset Management Plan sets the guidelines as to how transport assets are maintained, and how they will be maintained in the future.

Transport asset management is about more than just maintaining our roads. There are bridges, traffic control systems, street lighting and public transport infrastructure that requires investment to deal with current and future demands. While our customer satisfaction surveys tells us that the travelling public rate roads and our other assets as being 'very important', these people also express dissatisfaction with their condition.

Potholes, defective roads and poor quality cycle tracks and footways can create inconvenience, affect the quality of journeys and incur costs on users but also present potential hazards to our more vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Although research shows that poorly maintained roads fall into a deeper state of disrepair contributing to traffic delays and disruption, the under investment in highway maintenance by successive governments means managing our transport assets presents a major challenge. We have a backlog of repairs and there is a growing gap between the costs of the repairs and the funding that is available. We must make our approach to, and funding for asset management work better.