Roads budget information
This data summarises key information about our Roads Service budget. It brings together figures published in the Economy and Infrastructure committee meeting papers.
How roads services are funded
Scotland has 32 local authorities, each receiving funding from the Scottish Government. Local authorities raise money through:
- Government grants
- Income from services
- Non‑domestic rates (paid mainly by businesses)
- Council Tax
Find out more about our budgets and allocation
Roads service funding
The roads service budgets are split into revenue and capital expenditure.
Revenue expenditure
Revenue pays for the day‑to‑day running of services such as:
- staff costs
- electricity and fuel
- routine maintenance
As an example, in 2022/23, the Roads Service was allocated £17.61m of the overall £42.16m Roads and Transport revenue budget.
Examples of activities covered include:
- winter maintenance
- verge cutting
- gully emptying
- pothole repairs
Capital expenditure
Capital spending is used for long‑term investments and major repairs, such as:
- building or replacing bridges
- road resurfacing
- installing new weather stations or vehicle restraint systems (safety barriers)
Similar to the revenue example, in 2022/23, the Roads Service was allocated £20.49m of the total £30.36m Roads and Bridges capital budget.
Service budget
| Financial year | Revenue (£’000) | Capital (£’000) | Total (£’000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 16,624 | 21,160 | 37,784 |
| 2024/25 | 16,621 | 20,710 | 37,331 |
| 2023/24 | 16,880 | 20,500 | 37,380 |
| 2022/23 | 16,880 | 20,493 | 37,373 |
| 2021/22 | 14,243 | 21,200 | 35,443 |
| 2020/21 | 0 (Zero revenue budget due to COVID‑19) | 7,200 | 7,200 |
Note: Balances carried forward are not included.
Area budget
Area allocations consider factors such as population, road length, and the number of assets.
| Area | Revenue (£’000) | Capital (£’000) |
|---|---|---|
| Caithness | 1,606 | 1,404 |
| Sutherland | 3,163 | 2,059 |
| Ross and Cromarty | 3,775 | 2,921 |
| Skye | 1,449 | 1,264 |
| Nairn | 586 | 627 |
| Badenoch and Strathspey | 1,100 | 976 |
| Lochaber | 1,384 | 1,540 |
| Inverness | 2,752 | 2,606 |
Winter service
Winter service costs (gritting and snow clearance) are funded from the revenue budget.
| Year | Winter budget (£’000) | Actual spend (£’000) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 5,552 | TBC |
| 2024/25 | 5,572 | 5,692 |
| 2023/24 | 5,566 | 6,694 |
| 2022/23 | 5,566 | 7,399 |
| 2021/22 | 4,974 | 5,173 |
| 2020/21 | 0 (Zero revenue budget due to COVID‑19) | 6,462 |
| Year | Budget (£’000) | Actual spend (£’000) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 4,060 | TBC |
| 2024/25 | 4,069 | 3,930 |
| 2023/24 | 3,527 | 3,742 |
| 2022/23 | 3,470 | 3,074 |
| 2021/22 | 2,370 | 2,468 |
| 2020/21 | 2,333 | 2,756 |