RESIDENTS will be told what’s being done to tackle potholes as the Government will now require councils in the West Midlands to prove progress or face losing cash.
From mid-April, local Council’s will start to receive their share of the Government’s £1.6billion highway maintenance funding, including an extra £52million for the West Midlands.
To get the full amount, all councils in England must publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work and those who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25 per cent of their pothole funding (which is £13m for the West Midlands) withheld.
To ensure councils in the West Midlands are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by June 30, 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.
Prime Minister, 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 and handed 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.”
The Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8bn funding for 2025/26 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.
It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix.
This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal by through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “After years of neglect, we’re unblocking the West Midland’s roads – fixing the plague of potholes, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.
“The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25 per cent of their £500m funding boost.
“Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.”
