HIGHWAYS

Councils to get £100m to repair two million potholes

Councils are set to get a £100m cash boost to to help repair roads badly damaged by the recent cold weather, transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced. 

Councils are set to get a £100m cash boost to to help repair roads badly damaged by the recent cold weather, transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced. 

The Department for Transport (DfT) said the money will help repair almost two million potholes, as well as helping to protect the roads from any future severe weather.

Officials said the new cash is on top of the £75m already given this year to councils via the Pothole Action Fund.

Mr Grayling said: ‘We have seen an unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather which has caused damage to our local roads.

‘We are giving councils even more funding to help repair their roads all road users can enjoy their journeys without having to dodge potholes.'

Cllr Martin Tett, the Local Government Association's transport spokesman, called the move 'positive', but added: 'However, the funding announced today will provide just over 1% of what is needed to tackle our current £9.3bn local roads repair backlog.

'When exceptional weather occurs, the impact on local roads can be significant, and it's essential this is measured and that funds are provided for serious repairs, so that traffic can move freely through our communities and local economies and businesses aren't impacted.

'Councils are likely to need more support from the Government as the full extent of the repairs needed after the recent winter weather has been made known, and we hope that the Government will stand ready to provide this.'

HIGHWAYS

Call for strengthening oversight of developer contributions system

By William Eichler | 06 June 2025

Weaknesses in the developer contributions system intended to fund affordable housing and local infrastructure are undermining the ability of councils to nego...

HIGHWAYS

Government backs remote attendance at council meetings

By Izzy Lepone | 06 June 2025

The Government’s remote attendance announcement is a ‘positive step’ that gives councils greater power, says the Local Government Association (LGA).

HIGHWAYS

EXCLUSIVE: Ministry scraps competitive bid element for fund

By Dan Peters | 05 June 2025

The next round of the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) will not be allocated by councils bidding, The MJ has learnt.

HIGHWAYS

Reform of SEND cannot come quickly enough

By Simon Edwards | 05 June 2025

With deficits increasing and liabilities for SEND accruing interest on the existing debt, this issue can no longer be ducked, says Simon Edwards. 'This is wh...

Popular articles by Chris Ames