UK Government to fund £6 Billion for road repairs over the next ten years.

Transport Secretary announces £6 billion fund to help tackle potholes and improve local roads.

A record £6 billion will be spent on tackling potholes and improving local roads between 2015 and 2021, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced today (23 December 2014).

The investment amounts to £976 million a year, enough to fix around 18 million potholes across the country.

It is the first time councils have been given locked-in funding over this length of time, which will help them plan ahead and save money for the taxpayer.

Patrick McLoughlin said:

“Roads play a significant part in everyday life. Poorly maintained local roads, blighted by potholes, are a menace to all road users, particularly during the festive period as people travel to see family and friends.

“It is vital we have good quality roads. This government has already taken strong action by spending £1 billion more on local roads maintenance than was spent in the previous parliament.

“The £6 billion funding I am announcing today will put an end to short term fixes and will mean we have committed £10 billion between 2010 and 2021.

“This huge investment is part of our long term economic plan to ensure we have a transport network fit for the 21st century.”

The Department for Transport allocates funding to local authorities based on local need, so councils with larger highway networks receive more of the funding.

Over £4.7 billion will be shared between 115 councils, while a further £575 million will be available through a new challenge fund to help repair and maintain local highway infrastructure such as junctions, bridges and street lighting.

Details of funding allocations are available as an interactive map.

It was also announced today that £578 million has been set aside for an incentive fund scheme which will start in 2016 to reward councils who demonstrate they are delivering value for money in carrying out cost effective improvements.

Matthew Lugg, director of public services for Mouchel Infrastructure Services and advocate for the highways maintenance efficiency programme, said:

“Taking a more holistic approach to planning roads and services can be game changing and deliver greater efficiencies.

“Councils who think about long term planning and how they work together to share their resources, achieve greater economies of scale and keep the road surface in good repair, ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. Today’s announcement by the government will help to deliver this.”

Geoff Allister, executive director of the Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA) and advocate for the highways maintenance efficiency programme, said:

“We congratulate the Transport Secretary in taking the step of introducing an incentive element from 2016/17 into the local highways maintenance funding for councils.

“Those that can show they truly understand the value of their asset can plan greater efficiencies and deliver cost-effective, preventative maintenance, making the available money go even further.”

UK Government to spend £24 Billion on new and improved roads, about time too.

Road users will see around 900 extra lane miles of road capacity added to England’s strategic highway network by 2021 – a third more than was provided in the previous decade.

The boost is thanks to a huge £24 billion investment – the biggest since the 1970s – which will see annual funding for enhancements to our motorways and major A roads triple over the next 6 years. Investment includes more than £9 billion on maintenance, £6 billion of which will be spent on resurfacing 3,000 miles of the strategic road network.

Roads Minister John Hayes said:

As a crucial part of our long-term economic plan to secure a brighter future for Britain, we are fixing problems that have been created by governments of the past by delivering around 35% more capacity on our roads than was delivered in the 9 years up to 2010. It is because of the difficult decisions that this government has taken that we are able to triple investment in our major roads to over £3 billion a year up to 2021.

We’re doing this with great care for our environment. This extra capacity will be achieved mainly by the use of smart motorways and selective widening to minimise the environmental impact.

This government will oversee more work, more safety, and more improvements on our roads. This will benefit hard-working people and businesses, help ease congestion and create a road network fit for the 21st century and beyond.

The period 2001 to 2010 saw construction of 574 lane miles. This government has committed to 60 new road schemes, the majority of which will be completed by 2021, subject to value for money and deliverability. This will provide 962 miles of new road, 35% more miles of road per year than under the previous government.

More road schemes are expected to be added to the programme following the 2014 Autumn Statement, which could include solutions identified as part of 6 feasibility studies that are looking at dealing with some of the most notorious and long-standing hotspots on England’s roads, including the A303 in the south west and the A47 in the east of England.

Along with the results of the Highways Agency route strategies – a comprehensive review of all roads in England – the outcomes of the studies will help ensure the government continues to meet the future needs of roads users.

Taxpayers will also save more than £2.6 billion over the next 10 years as the Highways Agency is transformed into a government-owned company. The new company, of which the Transport Secretary is the single shareholder, will use stable, locked-in funding to boost efficiency with the supply chain and will be more accountable to Parliament and road users.

To help support the government’s economic ambitions, the Department for Transport will later this year publish a long-term roads investment strategy, setting out a clear vision for the new highways company that will include a new investment plan and set out performance requirements for the roads network.