Money redirected from HS2
The government has pledged £8.3 billion to help repair potholes in England over the next eleven years.
The money is part of the Network North programme and has been made available from the cancellation of HS2.
According to ministers, this cash is in addition to £5.5 billion made available “up until 2024/25, for England outside London, which includes the £200 million announced by the Chancellor at the Budget in March”.
The new funds would pay for the the resurfacing of 5,000 miles of road.
Across England, local highway authorities will receive £150 million this financial year, followed by a further £150 million for 2024/2025, with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.
In total, the £8.3 billion is being divided as follows:
- £3.3 billion for local authorities in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber
- £2.2 billion for local authorities in the West Midlands and East Midlands
- £2.8 billion for local authorities in the East of England, South East, South West and, for the first time in 8 years, London
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said:
“Whatever your view on HS2 there won’t be many people who begrudge this significant amount of money being spent tackling potholes which have become a perennial problem. Hopefully this cash will start to reverse the dreadful state of local roads, which millions of drivers are only too well aware of.
“At the very least we need to make sure we arrest the decline of our roads which are a national asset and as important a system as the water, power and telecoms networks.”
ENDS
Contact:
Philip Gomm – Head of External Communications – RAC Foundation
[email protected] | 07711 776448
Notes to editors:
The RAC Foundation is a transport policy and research organisation that explores the economic, mobility, safety and environmental issues relating to roads and their users.
The Foundation publishes independent and authoritative research with which it promotes informed debate and advocates policy in the interest of the responsible motorist. All the Foundation’s work is available at: www.racfoundation.org