The Prime Minister announced that he will tackle potholes across England with a £8.3 billion fund which will made available to local authorities over the next 11 years.
In October the government said funding from the scrapped HS2 route to the north will go towards the pothole project.
Rishi Sunak said, “For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for hardworking families – tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example.
“Well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket.
“This unprecedented £8.3 billion investment will pave the road for better and safer journeys for millions of people across the country and put an end to the blight of nuisance potholes.”
The Transport Secretary Mark Harper said drivers will “see improvement straightaway” in road conditions across England.
He told the PA news agency, “That money is enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of roads, so people will see a step change in the quality of local roads.
“For drivers, for cyclists, for bus users – anyone who uses the roads – this is a real improvement.”
He told Sky News, “We’re giving it to local authorities and we want to make sure they’re held accountable, so one of the other things we’re doing is making sure they have to be transparent about what they’re spending the money on.
“Their local electorates can then hold them to account.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “We hope local authorities will use the money in the most effective way possible by resurfacing the very worst roads, keeping those in reasonable condition in better states for longer through surface dressing, and filling potholes as permanently as possible wherever necessary.
“This should in time go a considerable way to bringing our roads back to a fit-for-purpose state and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in the process from not having to fork out for frustrating repairs to their vehicles.”
AA president Edmund King said: “The £8.3 billion plan can make a considerable difference in bringing our roads back to the standards which road users expect, especially if councils use the cash efficiently to resurface our streets.
“As well as safer roads, eliminating potholes gives confidence to people wanting to cycle, and instils pride of place within local communities.”
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