Almost one million potholes to be repaired as part of £200m government initiative

A £200 million funding package has been earmarked to tackle the state of England’s “Swiss cheese-like” local roads, the government has announced.

Roads minister Jesse Norman has pledged the cash to help maintain highways.

The work also includes putting £46m of the packet towards repairing almost one million potholes outside of London. This is on top of the £75 million Pothole Action Fund already given to councils this year.

AA president Edmund King, said: “The additional £46m to fill potholes is a much needed tonic and will help councils begin to get our Swiss cheese-like roads back to smooth highways again.”

Also announced was the next round of the local highways maintenance incentive fund, with £151m to reward councils for efficiently planning roadworks. This money is part of just over £6 billion put aside for authorities to help keep their roads in a good condition.

A £500,000 competition will also challenge councils to develop pilot projects of new connected technologies for the collection of road condition and pothole data.

Martin Tett, the Local Government Association’s transport spokesman, said: “Any new funding for our local roads is positive, but the reality is that this money is a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of the challenge facing councils to bring our roads up to scratch.

“Councils face a £12 billion local roads repair bill, which would take more than a decade to clear. This announcement features £46m in new money, and the other £151m has been top-sliced from council budgets. If the government wants councils to be able to provide the local roads that our communities need and deserve, it needs to provide a long-term, fully funded plan to cover the cost of local road improvements, and not re-distribute money which has already been promised to councils in this way.”

The government also promised a further £4m to continue its Cycle Rail Programme for another year – the project pays for cycle parking to be built at stations and has seen bike journeys at those taking part increase by nearly 40 per cent.

“We’re investing record amounts at present to improve the condition of our roads so drivers and cyclists don’t have to dodge potholes to travel safely,” said Norman.

“People need great roads to get about, do business and see friends and family.”

By Will Rimell