The Government has released a further £220 million to councils across England for road maintenance, following figures showing that nearly 7,000 miles of road will be resurfaced this year.
Published by the Department for Transport (DfT) on 21 October, the figures show resurfacing is up 10% on last year, while councils are expected to spend £4.9 billion on road maintenance in 2026 – £800 million more than two years ago.
The Government said its £7.3 billion road maintenance funding programme is beginning to deliver improvements for communities affected by potholes, helping drivers avoid costly vehicle repairs.
The additional £220 million will be distributed through an incentive-based scheme, with funding linked to councils meeting performance targets. Further funding will be released later in the year, but can be withheld from authorities that fail to meet the required standards.
Heidi Alexander, transport secretary, said: “For too long potholes have been a source of national embarrassment, forcing hard-working people to fork out for repairs and posing a danger to all road users. But today’s figures show that we are starting to turn a corner.
“While we know there is much more to do, our record funding, combined with tough new rules holding councils to account, mean that drivers are making smoother journeys while giving people roads they can rely on.”
The DfT said councils are increasingly focusing on preventative maintenance, which aims to repair deteriorating road surfaces before potholes develop and reduce the need for repeated patching.
According to the latest reports, 94% of councils will complete preventative roadworks this year, compared with 76% last year. The Government said the increase reflects the impact of funding, clearer expectations and closer monitoring of local highway authorities.
The Government estimates that its investment could save the average driver nearly £600 in vehicle repair costs.
Separately, figures published last week showed that local road conditions improved in the year to March 2026, with fewer minor roads requiring maintenance following work carried out during the previous year.
The Government said the latest investment is intended to build on this progress, while ensuring councils are held accountable for delivering improvements to road conditions.
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