Thousands of drivers in our region are set for smoother, safer journeys as the Government commits over £1.5 billion to upgrade and future-proof roads in the South West.
Spread across five years, the plan puts more money into maintaining the network to help deliver smoother, more reliable journeys for drivers, businesses and freight operators by resurfacing roads, fixing potholes, and replacing worn-out stretches of motorway.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “For too long this country has failed to tackle and fix our crumbling infrastructure, but this investment in our roads will secure the future of our road network in the South West for years to come.
“Not only are we investing in renewing our roads, meaning smoother and faster journeys for drivers, we are getting on with investing into brand new projects which will deliver benefits across the region, from Southampton all the way to Exeter.”
However, councils will face new rules on how they spend funding to fix potholes and maintain local roads, as the Government has set out new requirements to ensure taxpayers see real improvements.
Under the new measures, local highway authorities which fail to demonstrate they are maintaining roads effectively could lose around a third of their £1.6bn funding.
Pothole damage already costs the average driver around £500 in avoidable repairs at a time when every pound in people’s pockets matters, and the Government is determined to ease that financial burden by ensuring councils fix roads properly.
The changes will ensure that record investment in local roads is used as intended. Councils must publish reports proving they are spending all of their highways cash purely on road maintenance, showing long-term plans for looking after roads and better training for their highways teams.
Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: “Drivers deserve smooth, safe journeys, and we’re making sure every pound goes straight into fixing roads and tackling potholes, not being spent elsewhere.
“Potholes aren’t just an inconvenience – they cost drivers hundreds, if not more every time they cause damage to a vehicle. Fixing our roads is one of the most impactful things we can do to reduce the cost of owning and driving a car, and we’re making sure every pound goes straight into doing exactly that.”