More than a third of council-managed roads are in an unacceptable condition.

Audit Scotland said spending had fallen and roads across the country must be improved to help the economy and improve driver satisfaction.

The report – ‘Maintaining Scotland’s Roads’ – found that spending on road maintenance in England was higher, and that trunk roads there were in “significantly better condition”.

The Scottish Conservatives have urged the SNP to act on the findings of the report to ensure road surfaces across Scotland improve dramatically in coming years.

Among the findings of the paper were:

• 13 per cent of trunk roads were in an unacceptable condition
• 57 per cent of drivers were dissatisfied with the quality of roads
• Councils spent £33 million less than required last year
• Some local authorities spent five times more than others on maintenance

Auditors stated: “It is clear that the status quo is no longer an option if there is to be any improvement in road condition. A longer term view is required.”

The worst performing council, Argyll and Bute, had 56 per cent of its roads deemed unacceptable, while the best – Orkney – had just 21 per cent.

Police estimate the state of roads contributes to around 0.7 per cent of fatal accidents in the UK.

By extrapolating those statistics, Audit Scotland said, the condition of roads was to blame for six fatal crashes, 64 serious and minor 234 accidents in the past five years north of the border.

And with further budget cuts coming, the organisation warned the maintenance fund would come under even more pressure.

Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Alex Johnstone said:

“This is a damning report which exposes how the SNP has let the state of Scotland’s roads slip significantly.

“It’s incredible to think that in some parts of Scotland there are more bad roads than good.

“This is the latest example of the SNP neglecting the day job while it agitates for separation.

“As the report clearly states, roads in Scotland are vital to the economy, and by not maintaining them properly the Scottish Government is inadvertently impacting business.

“There are also safety implications, not to mention the damage caused to cars belonging to those who are already putting up with an anti-motorist agenda north of the border.

“Ministers ought to read this report carefully and make sure the situation can be turned around.

“As we’ve seen in England, when roads are invested in properly, the condition significantly improves."