Ahead of the delivery of £1.6 billion in funding to repair roads and fix potholes, the prime minister has thrown down the gauntlet to local authorities.
From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the record investment – which includes an extra £500 million – described as enough to fill 7 million potholes a year.
But to get the full amount, it has been announced today (24 March) that all councils must publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work.
They must publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.
They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse.
By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal.
Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions could see as much as 25% of the additional £500 million of funding withheld.
Sir Keir Starmer said: “The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs.
“Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.
“British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.”
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