The largest road resurfacing initiative ever funded by the government in London will enhance the local road infrastructure, ensuring millions of people experience smoother, safer, and faster journeys.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced the distribution of an £8.3billion national long-term plan. This substantial funding is earmarked to resurface more than 5,000 miles of roads nationwide over the next 11 years, constituting a pivotal element of Network North aimed at enhancing travel experiences for all.
London is set to receive £235 million through a long-term highway maintenance settlement from the central government. This allocation allows the city to pinpoint local roads requiring urgent repair and implement immediate enhancements, marking a significant step forward after years without such dedicated funding
This financial year, London is set to receive £7.5 million, with an additional £7.5 million earmarked for 2024/2025. The remaining funding will be distributed through to 2034.
The recently announced nationwide injection of £8.3 billion extends until 2034, offering long-term assurance to local authorities and playing a crucial role in mitigating the recurrence of potholes in the future. The funding is supplementary to the allocations from the last Spending Review for local transport, road, and rail budgets. It adds to the anticipated funding that local authorities were already expecting over the next decade.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for hardworking families – tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example.
“Well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket.
“This unprecedented £8.3 billion investment will pave the road for better and safer journeys for millions of people across the country and put an end to the blight of nuisance potholes.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper added: “Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow, and dangerous journeys. Our £235 million boost to repair roads across London shows that we’re on the side of drivers.
“Today’s biggest ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster and safer trips – as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”
As per the RAC, if roads are smoother and adequately maintained, drivers could potentially save up to £440 each in costly vehicle repairs caused by pothole damage. This would enable motorists to retain more money in their pockets.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Drivers’ biggest bugbear of all is the poor condition of local roads, so the fact the Government has found a significant additional pot of revenue should give councils the certainty of funding they need to plan proper long-term road maintenance, something we have been calling for many years.
“We hope local authorities will use the money in the most effective way possible by resurfacing the very worst roads, keeping those in reasonable condition in better states for longer through surface dressing, and filling potholes as permanently as possible wherever necessary.
“This should in time go a considerable way to bringing our roads back to a fit-for-purpose state and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in the process from not having to fork out for frustrating repairs to their vehicles.”
