Abstract
The financing of road maintenance varies according to who is responsible for the road (the road "owner") and the influence of politics upon such financing varies accordingly. This means that there can be large differences in both the amount and the timing of finance for maintenance between adjacent parts of the same road. This article advocates the development of local road funds based upon objectively based criteria which measure the level of use of any particular road network. A fixed percentage of the local authority's budget should be used to make up this fund. Contributions should also be made by the local inhabitants.