Chris Ames 30 October 2018

Budget 2018: Local roads get £420m maintenance boost

The chancellor has announced an immediate £420m cash boost for local authority highway maintenance budgets with millions more for local transport projects.

In his Budget speech, Philip Hammond announced that the Government will allocate £420m to local authorities during the current financial year ‘to tackle potholes, repair damaged roads, and invest in keeping bridges open and safe’.

The government will also make £150m of National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) cash available to local authorities for ‘small improvement projects such as roundabouts’.

Howard Robinson, chief executive of the Road Surface Treatments Association said: 'The reactive additional funding announced by Philip Hammond shows that he has failed to do the maths and understand the economic folly of spending an average £52 per square metre to repair a pothole against the £2 per square metre to surface dress and maintain a road.

'The odd additional funding for pothole repairs is welcomed but it is no substitute for the long-term funding of road maintenance programmes that would prevent the potholes from forming in the first place.'

Mr Robinson also questioned the chancellor’s decision to award £28.8bn to fund improvements on the national road network. He said: 'Whilst improvement to the strategic road network is welcomed. The chancellor must understand that a well-maintained local road is essential for the national economic prosperity of the country.'

As part of the NPIF, the Government is extending the Transforming Cities Fund by a year to 2022-23 at a cost of £770m.

This will provide an extra £240m to the six metro mayors for transport investment in their areas, with 21m for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, £69.5m for Greater Manchester, £38.5m for Liverpool City Region, £23m for West of England, £71.5m for the West Midlands, and £16.5m for Tees Valley.

A further £440m will be made available to the city regions shortlisted for competitive funding. Ten city regions are eligible for this funding, and the Government will shortly be announcing a further two.

In addition, to support the Industrial Strategy Future of Mobility Grand Challenge, £90m from the NPIF will be allocated to the Transforming Cities Fund to create Future Mobility Zones. This will trial new transport modes, services, and digital payments and ticketing.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Principal Transport Planner (Strategy)

North Northamptonshire Council
£46,731-£49,764
We are looking for an experienced professional to join North Northamptonshire Council as a Principal Transport Planner (Strategy). Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering moving to Haylock House, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY, United Kingdom
Recuriter: North Northamptonshire Council

Highways Capital Delivery Manager

South Wales Trunk Road Agent
£50,788 - £52,805
To be responsible for the implementation of Welsh Government’s Renewal and Upgrade programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recuriter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer x 2

Hounslow London Borough Council
£47,532 –£55,620 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recuriter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Part Time Prison Library Assistant - HMP/YOI Chelmsford

Essex County Council
£25081.00 - £27653.00 per annum + Pro Rata
Part Time Prison Library Assistant - HMP/YOI ChelmsfordFixed Term, Part Time£25,081 to £27,653 Per Annum, Full Time EquivalentLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Head of SEN Assessment & Resolution

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
£77136 - £88230 per annum
Shape a fairer future for children with special educational needs.As Head of SEN Assessment and Resolution at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chel England, London
Recuriter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Linkedin Banner