Record funding, record results: 7,000 miles of smoother journeys as government tackles pothole plague

Amanda Martin MP has welcomed the news that across the country 7,000 miles of roads will be resurfaced this year, including over 850 miles in the South East, following the record £7.3bn multi-year funding settlement the government announced at the start of this year.

This is 10 per cent more resurfacing than took place last year, with £4.9 billion total being spent this year, £800m more than before the current Labour government came to power.

In the south east, councils will spend £850 million on road maintenance this year, over £150 million more this year on fixing potholes and repairing roads. Every single council in the region will complete preventative roadworks this year, stopping potholes forming in the first place.

Following the publication of new transparency data from councils, the government has released a further £220m of funding for councils across England, with further funding to be released later this year if councils meet their performance targets.

Labour says that by ending the sticking-plaster approach and moving towards long-term, integrated settlements, the Government is empowering local authorities like Portsmouth to deliver better roads for local people, and that this new data shows the government’s plan is working.

Ms Martin, the MP for Portsmouth North, said: “I am delighted to see improvements to road maintenance in Portsmouth thanks to the record funding that this Labour government is giving to councils like Portsmouth.”

“My constituents have had to put up with broken roads for far too long after a decade of underfunding under the Tories.”

“The £220m of new funding announced today will help councils go even further towards ending the pothole plague.”