£1.2Bn funding for local road safety improvements

Government allocates £1.2Bn roads funding to councils to improve roads, cut congestion and improve journey times.

Councils across England are being informed whether or not they have been allocated a share of the £1.2Bn local roads funding, which includes money from the new National Productivity Investment Fund, as well as the Pothole Action Fund. There will also be £75M available for councils to bid for to repair and maintain local infrastructure such as bridges, street lighting and rural roads.

The funding, which will improve roads, cut congestion and improve journey times, is part of an economic plan to stimulate the economy and build a country that works for everyone.

In partnership with Thurrock and York Councils, the Department for Transport will also begin a new “pothole-spotter” trial, which will use high-definition cameras mounted to refuse collection vehicles combined with integrated navigation system and intelligent software to identify road surface problems before they become potholes.

Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: “Roads play a significant part in everyday life linking people with jobs and businesses with customers, which is why this government is investing record amounts improving and maintaining highways across the country to help motorists.

“The funding we have allocated today is focused on relieving congestion and providing important upgrades to ensure our roads are fit for the future – helping to build an economy that works for everyone.”

The DfT will also support plans for a new motorway junction on the M11, near Harlow in Essex, following the announcement that the government plan to build 200,000 homes. Part-funded by Essex Country Council, the new motorway junction will cut several minutes from journeys to Stansted and Cambridge, and will help ensure the delivery of 15,000 of those homes, supporting continued growth in the local economy.

The £1.2Bn for the 2017 to 2018 financial year consists of:

*£210M from the National Productivity Investment Fund announced in the Autumn Statement when the Chancellor committed to invest an extra £1.3Bn improving the road network over the course of the Parliament. From this, £185M will be allocated in the 2017 to 2018 financial year to local highway authorities in England, outside London, to improve local highways and public transport networks with the remainder of the funding of £25M being available for safer roads to help tackle some of the most dangerous A roads

*£801M to be shared across local highway authorities in England, outside London, to help improve the condition of local roads

*£70M to be shared across local highway authorities in England, outside London, from the Pothole Action Fund which will help repair over 1.3 million potholes

*£75M from the Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund, inviting local highway authorities in England, outside London, to compete for funding to help repair and maintain local highway infrastructure, such as bridges, lighting and rural roads

*£75Mfrom the Highways Maintenance Incentive Element which invites to complete a self-assessment questionnaire in order to reward those who demonstrate they truly understand the value of their asset.

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