This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygv2y2e1eo
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Get on with fixing potholes, PM tells councils | Get on with fixing potholes, PM tells councils |
| (about 1 hour 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. |
| 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 | Get in touch |
| Have you been affected by potholes? | Have you been affected by potholes? |
| Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. | Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. |