Government announces cuts to road funding
The government has announced it will cut road funding to support a £15bn increase in the defence budget.
However, it has said cuts will not be made to funding for local authorities to fix potholes and repair road surfaces.
The government has announced that savings of up to £700m will come from the Department for Transport budget, with the Department to consult further on additional reductions to the Road Investment Strategy.
The Department will also explore limited reductions to as yet uncommitted road funding.
Capital funding
David Giles, chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, said: “It is disappointing that capital funding for new road projects looks set to be cut, but it is vital that the government honours the pledge made to protect funding for local authorities to carry out much needed road maintenance and pothole repairs.
“We understand that in an increasingly challenging world tough public funding decisions must be made. However, local roads in England and Wales are already in a woeful condition and face a backlog of repairs that now stands at a whopping £18.62bn.
“All services depend on our local roads. That’s why the government must ensure that its £7.3bn commitment to 2030 to support repairs and prevent further decline is fully delivered and is not diverted elsewhere.”
