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| Get on with fixing potholes, PM tells councils | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Councils need to "get on" with fixing potholes, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged, as the government announced how it will allocate its £1.6bn budget for road maintenance. | Councils need to "get on" with fixing potholes, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged, as the government announced how it will allocate its £1.6bn budget for road maintenance. |
| Each local authority in England will receive a cut of the budget for the next financial year - which is £500m higher than the previous sum. | Each local authority in England will receive a cut of the budget for the next financial year - which is £500m higher than the previous sum. |
| Some of this uplift is being held back "until authorities have shown that they are delivering", the government said. | Some of this uplift is being held back "until authorities have shown that they are delivering", the government said. |
| The increase, announced in the Budget in October, is estimated to fix an additional seven million potholes. | The increase, announced in the Budget in October, is estimated to fix an additional seven million potholes. |
| What are potholes and why are they dangerous? | What are potholes and why are they dangerous? |
| Potholes leave nations' roads at 'breaking point' | Potholes leave nations' roads at 'breaking point' |
| Each local authority in England can use the money to identify which roads are in most need of repair and deliver "immediate fixes", the government said. | Each local authority in England can use the money to identify which roads are in most need of repair and deliver "immediate fixes", the government said. |
| Allocations of the £1.6bn investment include: | Allocations of the £1.6bn investment include: |
| More than £327m for local authorities in the North West, North East, and Yorkshire and Humber | More than £327m for local authorities in the North West, North East, and Yorkshire and Humber |
| More than £372m for local authorities in the East Midlands and West Midlands | More than £372m for local authorities in the East Midlands and West Midlands |
| More than £244m for local authorities in the East of England | More than £244m for local authorities in the East of England |
| More than £322m for local authorities in the South East and London | More than £322m for local authorities in the South East and London |
| More than £300m for local authorities in the South West | More than £300m for local authorities in the South West |
| Transport is a devolved matter in the UK - so this budget only applies to England. | Transport is a devolved matter in the UK - so this budget only applies to England. |
| Announcing the figures, the Department for Transport (DfT) said it was holding back 25% of the £500m uplift as an incentive until authorities had shown that they were "delivering". | Announcing the figures, the Department for Transport (DfT) said it was holding back 25% of the £500m uplift as an incentive until authorities had shown that they were "delivering". |
| The government would, it added, make sure authorities spent the money wisely and maintained roads to avoid further potholes. | The government would, it added, make sure authorities spent the money wisely and maintained roads to avoid further potholes. |
| The Local Government Association (LGA) welcomed the funding, but asked the government to reconsider its decision to withhold a quarter of the uplift. | The Local Government Association (LGA) welcomed the funding, but asked the government to reconsider its decision to withhold a quarter of the uplift. |
| It said councils needed "greater certainty" over the funding, and asked for greater long-term investment. | It said councils needed "greater certainty" over the funding, and asked for greater long-term investment. |
| Figures from monitoring group RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England, and face spending around £500 on vehicle repairs because of pothole damage. | Figures from monitoring group RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England, and face spending around £500 on vehicle repairs because of pothole damage. |
| Sir Keir Starmer said damaged roads could risk lives and cost families "hundreds if not thousands" on repairs. | Sir Keir Starmer said damaged roads could risk lives and cost families "hundreds if not thousands" on repairs. |
| He wants his government's new focus to be on people's daily frustrations. Potholes is perhaps the archetypal example of an issue that enrages many. | He wants his government's new focus to be on people's daily frustrations. Potholes is perhaps the archetypal example of an issue that enrages many. |
| But it is down to local councils, not national government, to deliver these repairs. | But it is down to local councils, not national government, to deliver these repairs. |
| The LGA suggested more than £16bn could be needed to fix the backlog in road repairs. | The LGA suggested more than £16bn could be needed to fix the backlog in road repairs. |
| According to the RAC, the UK faces a "pothole epidemic". | According to the RAC, the UK faces a "pothole epidemic". |
| A pothole is a hole in a road surface caused by factors such as repeated traffic impact and water damage. | A pothole is a hole in a road surface caused by factors such as repeated traffic impact and water damage. |
| Depending on its size, it can cause significant damage to vehicles and pose a danger to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. | Depending on its size, it can cause significant damage to vehicles and pose a danger to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. |
| The average cost of fixing a pothole is £72 in England, according to a report, external by the The Asphalt Industry Alliance. | The average cost of fixing a pothole is £72 in England, according to a report, external by the The Asphalt Industry Alliance. |
| Get in touch | |
| Have you been affected by potholes? |