Councils across England have been warned by the government to address the ongoing issue of potholes on roads or risk losing out on millions of pounds in funding. The Department for Transport has allocated a £1.6 billion road maintenance fund, with an additional £500 million, but councils must demonstrate progress on pothole repairs to receive the full amount. Failure to do so will result in a quarter of the funding being withheld.
Local authorities eligible for funding will receive 75% of the extra £500 million, with the remaining 25% potentially being withheld and redistributed to councils that have shown improvement. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer emphasized the importance of safe roads, stating that the current condition not only poses risks to lives but also leads to costly vehicle repairs for families, drivers, and businesses. Data from the RAC indicates that there are approximately six potholes per mile of road in England and Wales.
Councils are required to publish progress reports on their road maintenance efforts, including details on spending, pothole repairs, minimizing roadwork disruption, and long-term maintenance plans. They must also demonstrate community consultation on repair locations by the end of October. Failure to meet these conditions will result in a 25% funding reduction. While the policy only applies to English councils, during the election campaign, Labour pledged to address up to a million potholes annually in England.
The Local Government Association acknowledged the government’s additional funding for road repairs but stressed the importance of long-term funding certainty to focus on preventative measures rather than reactive pothole fixes. Shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon criticized the government’s approach as a temporary solution, while Liberal Democrats transport spokesman Paul Kohler called for a more sustainable strategy to address the deteriorating road infrastructure
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