STANDARDS of A roads across the county are in a worse state than both South West and national averages.

Figures presented at a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday revealed that A roads in Wiltshire were in greater need of repair than in other counties. Four per cent of road are currently in poor condition, compared to three per cent nationally.

However, the report also showed that B and C roads were in “significantly” greater condition, resulting in the overall network of roads in Wiltshire being of a better standard than national averages.

Cllr Matthew Dean said: “Do we have a culture in the highways department of the right fix the first time and getting the maximum bang for our buck in terms of costings?” Cabinet member for highways Bridget Wayman said: “We are severely constrained on funding we receive for repairing roads but we are looking for best value. I am speaking to a resident in my area who would like a quiet surface outside their home, the lifecycle is eight year whereas we want to put down a surface that will last 20 25 years."