Councils in the North of England are to get £327m to fix potholes the Government has announced this morning
Labour’s Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced nearly £1.6 billion to fix potholes across England for next year and clamps down on disruptive street works
the landmark investment – an increase of nearly 50% on local road maintenance funding from last year – goes well beyond the Labour Government’s manifesto pledge, and is enough to fix the equivalent of over seven million extra potholes in 2025/26. It recognises the concerns of local people about the current state of roads following years of cuts to local council funding for road repairs under the previous Tory government.
Across England, local highways authorities will receive a £500m uplift in funding as the Government looks to rebuild Britain as part of its Plan for Change. Fixing our roads and filling potholes not only makes roads safer, but they also improve journey times and save drivers money from avoidable repairs.
It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales, and the cost of pothole damage to vehicles is around £500 on average, with more severe repairs costing considerably more. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96 per cent of drivers.
The public is also being encouraged to report potholes in their area to their local council through a dedicatedGov.uk page.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
“Potholes have plagued motorists for far too long, but today’s record investment will start to reverse a decade of decline on our country’s roads.
“Millions will drive home for Christmas today, but too many will have to endure an obstacle course to reach their loved ones. Potholes damage cars, and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe. We are investing £1.6bn to fix up to seven million more potholes next year.
“This government is firmly on the side of drivers. Every area of England will get extra cash to tackle this problem once and for all. We have gone beyond our manifesto commitment to back motorists and help raise living standards in every part of the country.”
The Government is also making sure authorities spend the money wisely, collect the right data, and deliver proactive maintenance before potholes start to form. The funding has built-in incentives, with 25% of this uplift held back until authorities have shown that they are delivering.
Today, the government is also announcing that at least 50% of surplus lane rental funds will be reinvested into highways maintenance, so that even more roads can be improved. Lane rental schemes allow local highway authorities to charge companies for the time that street and road works occupy the road.
Additionally, the Department is also consulting on devolving powers to approve lane rental schemes, which are currently with the Secretary of State, to local Mayors. This will support the delivery of more lane rental schemes and put power back into local hands.
On top of this funding, the Transport Secretary is announcing a clampdown on disruptive street works, doubling Fixed Penalty Notices for utility companies who fail to comply with rules and extending charges for street works that run into the weekend.
