Action on potholes is promised with the “biggest ever investment” in local roads in England. Councils will be able to access extra cash if they publish “pothole data” on their websites so voters can hold local authorities to account.
The £7.3billion in roads funding has been welcomed by the AA and the RAC.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, said: “We promised to fix an extra million potholes a year by the end of this Parliament – we’re doing exactly that.”
Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “Potholes are the number one transport concern for drivers and continue to blight too many roads, so this funding should help smooth out the road ahead.”
The Treasury says that “more than £500million each year will now only be unlocked by councils that publish pothole data on their website to ensure local authorities are kept accountable”.
Simon Williams, head of policy for the RAC, welcomed “linking additional funding to councils who commit to carrying out preventative maintenance, as this stops potholes forming in the first place and extends the life of roads”.
He added: “It’s also far cheaper than continuously patching pothole-ridden roads only to have to pay far more to resurface them.”
But Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden described the announcement as “smoke and mirrors from a Labour Government who have declared war on motorists” and is “introducing a pay per mile tax for drivers”.
He added: “Meanwhile, driving test waiting times are up three weeks since the general election and private hire drivers are facing a taxi tax that will gut the night-time economy and put women and girls at risk.
“Labour’s Budget buries growth, breaks every promise, and leaves working people to pick up the bill. If Rachel Reeves won’t resign, the Prime Minister should have the backbone to sack her.”
