In yesterday’s (27th June) announcement, Treasury Minister Danny Alexander outlined over £100bn of public investment in infrastructure projects to 2020, including £28bn which will be used in enhancements and maintenance of national and local roads until 2020. This will include adding extra lanes to the busiest motorways. Nearly £6bn of the funding will be allocated to help local authorities repair the local road network and over £4 billion to enable the Highways Agency to resurface the vast majority of the national network by 2020-21.
In a statement, Mr Alexander said: ‘Government will commit to the biggest programme of investment in roads since the 1970s. By 2020 to 2021 the government plans to triple the money spent on roads compared to 2013. This includes £6bn to help local authorities repair the local road network.’
The RHA welcomed the commitment of £10bn in road repairs but added that is concerned that for some areas, these repairs will come too late.
RHA chief executive Geoff Dunning said: ‘The past couple of years have seen many road users faced with appalling driving conditions as a result of extreme weather. The knock-on effects, coupled with under-investment in maintenance over many years, have seen many side roads, in particular those leading to industrial sites and other areas, left in a condition that can be both dangerous and damaging to vehicles. It is vital that these improvements start now – waiting until next year for this work to start is not an option.’
Meanwhile, the Local Government Association said that the £6bn allocated for local roads will not bridge the funding gap.
Sir Merrick Cockell, chairman of the LGA, said yesterday (27th June): ‘The LGA has long called for greater funding for roads maintenance so today's commitment to improving the network is a positive step forward. However, there is still a very long way to go to bring the nation's roads up to scratch.
‘The £6bn for local roads maintenance over the six years from 2015/16 equates to an extra £300m a year on top of the £700 million councils were expecting based on 2014/15 funding projections. Last year councils were £800m short of what they needed so, though helpful, this new money certainly doesn't bridge the overall funding gap.
‘Despite their best efforts, many councils have been trapped in a false economy of patching up potholes for many years. It's unlikely this new money will significantly change this situation and the proper resurfacing projects needed will continue to be limited.
‘Last year's flooding caused £338m damage to roads and the severe winter of 2010/11 cost councils £600m. The current deteriorated state of many roads mean they are becoming increasingly susceptible to severe conditions. Even with today's positive announcement large swaths of our network will still remain at the mercy of the weather.
