Record Investment To Fix Potholes On North East Roads

23 December 2014, 06:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A record £268 million will be spent on improving local roads between 2015 and 2021 in the North East.

The Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced the investment, which amounts to £45 million a year.

That's enough to fix around 800,000 potholes across the region.

It is the first time councils have been given locked-in funding over this length of time, which will help them plan ahead and save money for the taxpayer.

Patrick McLoughlin said:
"Roads play a significant part in everyday life. Poorly maintained local roads, blighted by potholes, are a menace to all road users, particularly during the festive period as people travel to see family and friends.

It is vital we have good quality roads. This government has already taken strong action by spending £1 billion more on local roads maintenance than was spent in the previous parliament.

The £268 million funding I am announcing today for the North East will put an end to short term fixes and will mean we have committed £10 billion between 2010 and 2021.

This huge investment is part of our long term economic plan to ensure we have a transport network fit for the 21st century."

The Department for Transport allocates funding to local authorities based on local need, so councils with larger highway networks receive more of the funding.

Over £4.7 billion will be shared between 115 councils, while a further £575 million will be available through a new challenge fund to help repair and maintain local highway infrastructure such as junctions, bridges and street lighting.