Motorists in the West Mildands will benefit from £800m of national funding to fix pot holes in roads, the government says.
This sum is part of a £7.3bn slug of cash set aside by the Chancellor to improve local roads.
Rachel Reeves claims this is one of several steps in her Budget, announced last week, to “strengthen the economy and chose investment over austerity.”
In a move designed to “turn up the pressure on local authorities, Reeves says councils can only unlock the funding if they publish clear “pothole and maintenance data and follow best practice.”
She said: “We promised to fix an extra million potholes a year by the end of this Parliament. We’re doing exactly that.
“We are doubling the funding promised by the previous government, making sure well maintained roads keep businesses moving, communities connected and growth reaching every part of the country.”
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “We’re putting our money where our mouth is, giving councils the long-term investment they need to plan properly and get things right first time, saving you money on costly repairs and making a visible difference in our communities.”
Edmund King, AA president, said:
Potholes are the number one transport concern for drivers and continue to blight too many roads, so this funding should help smooth out the road ahead.
Regional allocations for the next four years are as follows:
- North West: £800 million
- Yorkshire and the Humber: £500 million
- East Midlands: £700 million
- West Midlands: £800 million
- East of England: £1.2 billion
- South East: £1.5 billion
- South West: £1.5 billion
- London: £300 million
- North East: £30 million
This is on top of record investment of almost £1.6 billion for local road maintenance this year – a £500 million increase compared to 2024/25.
This comes as the Chancellor delivered the Budget on Wednesday that eases the cost of living, reduces our national debt, and brings down NHS waiting lists. Millions of families will see £150 off their energy bills, prescriptions frozen at £9.90, and our actions will lift around 550,000 children out of poverty.
