Across the country, councils are defending their records in dealing with the state of the highways.

Kent County Council (KCC) looks after 5,400 miles for the 1.5m people who use them to get about.

And it is not just the tarmac, cats’ eyes and white lines KCC is responsible for but many of the other pieces of infrastructure such as drains, pavements, street lights, kerbs and verges.

The council has revealed in recent weeks that the total bill to fix Kent’s highways and associated assets could be as much as £1.3bn.

It puts into perspective the £1.6bn of emergency road repair funding announced by Sir Keir Starmer last Christmas for the whole country.

Crumbling roads are not just bad for vehicles - Kent driving instructors call them ‘car killers’ - they can be dangerous for cyclists and motorcyclists.

The other issue facing KCC is the county’s road closure programme designed to carry out works on the highways.

When the roads are in need of repair by KCC, they have to be shut.

This in itself would cause inconvenience but there are also closures for utility companies, works for new housing developments and the installation of broadband.

Residents complain highways are sometimes closed for ‘emergency’ repairs which do not start for many days.

KCC issues all the permits to close roads temporarily but has little control over how they are managed, particularly in emergencies.

The council has been consulted by the government in recent months with a view to tightening up on abuses while one respected industry body has called for a “complete change of mindset”.

We asked all five of the main parties for their ideas on how Kent can manage its troubled highways…

The Conservatives Party says…

Kent County Council urgently needs enhanced powers and increased funding from central government to meet our ambitious goals for the county’s transport network.

We will relentlessly pursue multi-year funding that accurately reflects the extensive repair and maintenance demands of our roads, pavements, and other highway assets.

This is critical given the intense road usage, stemming in part from Kent’s role as the UK’s primary gateway to Europe, with heavy traffic placing constant pressure on our infrastructure.

We will ramp up lobbying efforts to secure comprehensive authority to manage all roadworks, tackling the disruption caused by utility companies digging up roads, which frustrates communities, hampers businesses, and deters tourism. A top priority is to work with partners to find a better approach to cross-Channel traffic than Operation Brock, which turns swathes of Kent into a de facto lorry park.

Building on our partnerships with residents, parish and town councils, and elected members, we will develop bespoke solutions to address local challenges, ensuring travelling around Kent remains safe and efficient.

Our vision promotes genuine choice in transport, fostering a county where public transport is reliable, sustainable, and affordable, without resorting to car bans.

We will sustain support for vital bus services, particularly school journeys, where funding permits, while championing community transport and local innovation.

Exploring bus franchising and maximising devolution opportunities will enhance connectivity between road and rail, delivering real benefits for residents.

By securing the necessary resources and authority, we aim to create a dynamic, resilient transport system that supports Kent’s economic growth and social wellbeing.

The Labour Party says…

The crumbling state of Kent’s roads speaks volumes. Under Conservative leadership, we’ve seen a managed decline—potholes and roadworks everywhere, with a broken bus service.

The Tory-run council has allowed one major contractor to dominate road maintenance, prioritising profit over quality.

As a result, residents are left with substandard repairs and a road network in disrepair.

Kent Labour would do things differently.

We’d break up the monopoly and bring in smaller, local providers—people who understand our roads and are invested in fixing them properly. Right now, the system rewards short-term patch jobs rather than long-term solutions. That must change.

We also need a road maintenance reporting portal that’s simple and efficient—not the clunky system we have now.

Despite receiving an additional £14 million from central government, Kent’s roads remain neglected. The fault lies squarely with the Conservative administration.

In our alternative budget, Kent Labour proposed strengthening the roadworks enforcement team to hold utility companies accountable for unnecessary closures and poor-quality repairs.

We also proposed funding a feasibility study for a ‘Transport for Kent’ model - a joined-up system integrating buses, trains, walking, and cycling.

Kent received an additional £5m for active travel, and, with the Better Buses Bill, there are real opportunities for change. But only Kent Labour will take these opportunities because we are best placed to work with government.

It’s time for a transport system that works for everyone. It’s time to fix Kent’s roads. Properly.

The Liberal Democrat Party says…

Damage to roads (including pavements) are a menace to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.

We all understand that wear will occur. Roads are not magic. Rain, ice, and vehicle weight will cause cracks and cavities.

But we can do more to prevent and fix these. KCC should more energetically promote its “report a fault” webpage. A pothole reported on that page has a 28 day target to be addressed. Liberal Democrats would look to reduce that to 14 days or less and would review KCC’s policy of leaving potholes unless they are at least 50mm (two inches) deep.

Quality of materials makes a big difference to how long road surfaces and repairs will last. If Liberal Democrats take charge at KCC we will arrange a review of materials and methods to ensure the public is getting maximum value from KCC’s contractors.

Quite often, utility companies or other private enterprises dig up roads. How well they put them back can vary. KCC’s famous white horse needs to become a charging, asphalt-kicking mustang when it comes to enforcing the rules. If you dig up the community’s road, or pavement, for a private purpose then you should leave it as good as it was before.

We need to better connect the drainage work or KCC with road maintenance. Pooling water weakens surfaces. Different parts of KCC need to work hand in glove because these issues are all connected.

On some of our streets in town and country lanes, we should consider the effect of vehicle weight and impose restrictions on the largest lorries from using certain roads.

The Green Party says…

Green county councillors are frustrated by never-ending potholes as we too are long-suffering motorists and cyclists who find ourselves weaving along Kent’s roads trying to avoid damage and injury.

The truth is most of Kent’s roads should have been resurfaced years ago but the county council does not have the funds to bring our roads up to the required standard after four years of Conservative austerity.

This is acknowledged by successive Conservative cabinet members for transport and highways who have described the task of maintaining our roads as ”managed decline”.

Highways budgets have been suffering because the council understandably concentrates on the people-facing budgets of adult social care and children’s services. The result is an estimated £1.3bn to bring our roads up to the required standard, including works to drains, pavements and street lights.

Transport ministers say we have the resources to fill the potholes but the fact is that we need realistic increases in funding to address the underlying problem - our roads are worn out.

The burden of so many cars in our densely populated county is unrecognised by the Government’s funding formula, which is calculated by miles rather than the number of vehicles using that stretch of road.

Kent Highways is trying to eke out the very last years of use by ‘micro-surfacing’ on many roads to seal in the imperfections and cracks which would otherwise allow water in during cold spells which then turns into potholes. In essence, we are simply papering over the cracks.

Reform UK says…

Tory-run Kent County Council has left us with 58,000 potholes. Dangerous roads, damaged vehicles, and even lives at risk - it's that serious. Instead of making contractors pay for sub-standard work, we instead see the same roads fixed again and again at the cost to local taxpayers.

A Reform UK-led KCC will look to renegotiate all pothole contracts and explore the use of innovative new technology, such as the British-made JCB Pothole Pro machine, to fix potholes quicker and more cheaply than ever before.

We also want to see foreign lorry drivers pay to use Kent’s roads, just like we pay to use roads abroad.

This is our home. We can build a safer, fairer, more caring society — but only if we demand it.