Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Mak Excerpts

Thursday 22nd November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

What the hon. Gentleman needs are policies that invest money in rail in the north to deliver—as I know is happening at his station—new trains to replace long out-of-date trains and provide more services for passengers. That is what we are aiming to do and what we are doing.

[Alan Mak (Havant) (Con)]

4. What steps the Government are taking to improve the condition of local roads.

[Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

12. What steps the Government are taking to improve the condition of roads in residential areas.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Jesse Norman)]

The Department for Transport is providing over £6.6 billion to local highway authorities in England between 2015 and 2021 to improve the condition of local roads. That includes a £296 million pothole action fund and the additional £420 million for local highways maintenance announced in Budget 2018.

[Alan Mak]

Many councils now use technology to enable residents to report road-related problems. Will my hon. Friend encourage the greater use of digital apps and technology tools to make councils more accountable for the road issues in their area?

[Jesse Norman]

I am well aware of my hon. Friend’s interest in technology and the potential ways in which it can improve productivity. He is absolutely right, and I encourage all councils to use technology better as far as possible for residents to report road-related problems. As he will be aware, they do so in Hampshire, where the county council uses an online reporting tool, but the Department has also done work to support this, not least through assistance to Cycling UK to revamp its pothole reporting website.