Nearly £50 million set aside for road repairs in Sussex as Government promises to crackdown on potholes nationwide
Sussex is set to receive almost £50 million for pothole repairs and road maintenance as the government commits to a nationwide crackdown.
The £48,347,000 cash investment is divided between West Sussex – which will receive £27,347,000 – and East Sussex, which will receive £21,000,000.
It’s all part of a £1.6 billion national initiative designed to fill potholes and repair roads all over the UK, and marks an investment increase of nearly 50 per cent compared to last year. It’s estimated that the money will help fill seven million extra potholes over and beyond what was pledged in the Labour Party’s manifesto ahead of their landmark election win earlier this year.
It comes alongside figures from the RAC which shows that drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales, with the cost of pothole damage costing £500 on average and major repairs costing considerably more.
Each local authority is is free to use its share of the money to identify which of their roads is most in need of repair and deliver immediate fixes for communities, raising living standards across every area of the country.
The news also comes alongside plans to freeze the fuel duty at current levels, in a bid to protect motorists amid the continuing cost of living crisis, and fuel price volatility, saving the average driver £59.
“Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “That’s a cost that can easily be avoided by investing properly in our roads.
"Through our Plan for Change we’re determined to put more money back into the pockets of hardworking people and improve living standards. That’s why we’re giving councils funding to repair our roads and get Britain moving again – with a clear expectation that they get on with the job.”
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, added: “Potholes have plagued motorists for far too long, but today’s record investment will start to reverse a decade of decline on our country’s roads.
“Millions will drive home for Christmas today, but too many will have to endure an obstacle course to reach their loved ones. Potholes damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe. We are investing £1.6 billion to fix up to 7 million more potholes next year.
“This government is firmly on the side of drivers. Every area of England will get extra cash to tackle this problem once and for all. We have gone beyond our manifesto commitment to back motorists and help raise living standards in every part of the country.”
In order to ensure local authorities spend the money wisely, collect the right data and introduce proactive maintenance to prevent potholes before they form, the government has introduced a fiscal incentive; withholding 25 per cent of the uplift until authorities provide evidence of their research.
Nationwide, at least 50 per cent of surplus lane rental funds will be reinvested into highway maintenance to improve even more roads, while lane rental schemes will allow local authorities to charge companies for the time that street and roadworks occupy the road.
The Department of Transport is also consulting on devolving the power to approve lane rental schemes – which currently rests with the secretary of state – to local mayors, in a bid to increase the number of lane rental schemes and put power back into smaller authorities.
Further clampdowns on disruptive street works have also been announced, with fixed penalty notices doubling for companies which fail to comply with the rules, and extended charges for works that run on into the weekend.
RAC head of policy, Simon Williams, said: “This is the biggest one-off road maintenance funding settlement councils in England have ever been given, so we have high hopes it’s the turning point that ends the degradation of our roads and finally delivers fit-for-purpose, smooth surfaces for drivers and all other road users.
"What’s particularly positive is that this announcement is not just about giving councils money to fix dangerous potholes, it comes with the important caveat of using the money wisely by carrying out preventative maintenance to stop more potholes appearing in the future. It’s also good to see the government proactively encouraging drivers to report potholes, requiring councils to collect the right data to capture the true state of their road networks and incentivising authorities that use the money to good effect.”
Edmund King, AA president, added: ”Drivers and riders across England will be pleased to see this significant cash injection into smoothing out the local road network. With most journeys starting and ending on local roads, it is vital to restore the structural integrity of the streets we live on. We urge councils to focus on permanent and innovative repairs rather than adopting a ‘patch and run’ approach. Better maintenance of the road network is the number one concern of drivers as damage costs a fortune and potholes can be fatal for those on two wheels.
“Clamping down on poor works carried out by utility companies and overrunning roadworks is sorely needed, and we are pleased to see action being taken here. Widening lane rental approval to local mayors should reduce red tape and we hope it means more roads can be opened in first class condition.”
The announcement builds on existing government plans to help councils provide core services via a £69 billion national funding boost, which is intended to help drive reforms across the UK.