The Government has set its sights on filling around 11 million potholes as part of a new multi-billion-pound infrastructure package.
The funding, announced by transport secretary Grant Shapps on 14 May, is designed to make journeys on local roads and motorways ‘smoother and safer’.
The £1.7bn Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund will target around 11 million ‘nuisance’ potholes, which the Government says is enough to tarmac a road stretching a third of the way around the Earth.
It will also see smaller improvements completed to upgrade local networks, such as enhancing road safety at key locations, the installation of priority bus lanes, and the creation of projects to help lock in improvements in air quality experienced during lockdown.
Mr Shapps says hundreds of millions of pounds worth of upgrades have already been made to the nation’s roads since lockdown began.
He said: “There has been a monumental effort in every corner of the country to slow the spread of the virus and protect our NHS.
“However, the battle is not over yet and we urge everyone to keep up the good work and only travel when they need to.
“To help those who do have to use public transport or get out on the roads to do their jobs, we’ve been accelerating infrastructure upgrades to make sure that, as we gradually reopen our society, everyone can benefit from smoother and safer journeys with better connections for our future.”
The new funding follows the £2bn announced last week to boost more sustainable greener travel and encourage more people to begin cycling and walking as the UK moves out of lockdown restrictions.
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