It’s part of a £1.6bn ‘landmark investment’ in road repairs

Keir Starmer has told councils to ‘get on with the job’ as Greater Manchester gets nearly £15m to fix potholes next year.

The government has announced a ‘record’

£1.6bn package to fill potholes and repair roads.

The Department for Transport (DfT) says the

‘landmark investment’ is nearly 50 per cent higher than the figure for this year and is enough to pay for fixing more than 7m potholes.

Across England, local authorities will receive a £500m uplift in funding with the government saying this goes ‘well beyond’ Labour’s manifesto pledge. It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales.

The cost of pothole damage to vehicles is around £500 on average, with more severe repairs costing considerably more. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96 per cent of drivers.

The government is today (December 20)

announcing how much each local authority will get for road maintenance next year. London and the South East will get the largest share of the cash, with the East Midlands and West Midlands receiving a similar amount in total.

Local authorities in the North of England will get £327m in total. This includes £14.8m for local authorities in Greater Manchester.

The government says it will make sure authorities spend the money wisely, collect the right data, and deliver proactive maintenance before potholes start to form. The funding has built-in incentives, with 25 per cent of this uplift held back until authorities have shown that they are delivering – however, this won’t apply to Greater Manchester which will be given more flexibility over funding next year.

The government is also announcing changes to lane rental schemes which allow local highway authorities to charge companies for the time that street and road works occupy the road. At least 50 per cent of surplus funds from these schemes will be reinvested into highways maintenance with mayors set to get new powers to approve these schemes which currently require government approval.

On top of this funding, the Transport Secretary is also announcing a clampdown on disruptive street works, doubling Fixed Penalty Notices for utility companies who fail to comply with rules and extending charges for street works that run into the weekend.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs. 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 said:

“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 £1.6bn to fix up to seven 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.”