More investment in the roads would save lives, says the watchdog

The charity said the poor condition of British roads is leading to unnecessary deaths, and a backlog of billions of pounds in repairs.

A third of local authority bridges also need to be strengthened, it said.

Trust Director John Dawson said the network had potential to be an asset to Britain, but many believed it was currently a "national disgrace".

Ageing lamp posts

The AA Motoring Trust - which was launched by the Automobile Association earlier this year - said hundreds of lives were being lost each year because of sub-standard minor and A-roads.

At a seminar in London, the group said the government had national roads under control, but said the structural condition of local authority roads was worsening.

Local politicians will carry on diverting essential maintenance money to other services to curry short-term favour John Dawson, AA Motoring Trust

Britain's A-road network now has "skid resistance standards so poor that one mile in every five fails initial safety checks," said the charity.

It said minor roads, where no independent safety reviews are carried out, were worse.

It was also revealed that 2,500, or one third, of local authority bridges in England need strengthening in order to carry current levels of traffic, with �300m a year needed to get it done by 2010.

And 250,000 lamp posts are over 30 years old - the age at which they could collapse.

The group said another 1.1 million will reach 30 by 2010, with an extra �1bn needed to make sure they are renewed.

Their figures show almost 5,000 fatal and serious accidents a year involve inadequately-protected objects such as trees, lamp posts and telegraph poles.

'Plain silly'

Drivers are further endangered because thousands of traffic signs are broken, dirty or obscured by roadside foliage, said the watchdog.

Mr Dawson said the government's 10-year plan to tackle the transport system by 2010 would not come to fruition unless local and national politicians invested more.

"The plan has forced the government to come out of denial and face facts.

"It now knows that the idea that Britain's transport could rival any in Europe by 2010 is plain silly while, in this country, we invest so much less than other European countries," he said.

He added: "The rot on roads and bridges matches the rot on rail and underground."

"The government's aim is only to stop the rot. But even that is set to be thwarted on local roads because local politicians will carry on diverting essential maintenance money to other services to curry short-term favour."

AA Motoring Trust is calling for the �38bn paid in tax every year by road users to go into a trust fund, and be paid out only to those who deliver a "well maintained and safe roads system."

"Britain's roads could be a national asset if they were properly funded and maintained. At the moment, many believe they are a national disgrace," he said.

The trust receives funds from the AA's parent company to carry out work on subjects including costs, congestion, safety, roads, and traffic law.