Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the value for money of temporary pothole repairs where defects recur frequently.

In November 2024, the Department published a report on the economic benefits of investing in local highways maintenance. The analysis found that proactive maintenance can be more cost effective. In contrast, reactive maintenance was shown to be less cost-effective and associated with higher long-term expenditure. This report can be accessed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/economic-appraisal-for-investing-in-local-highways-maintenance

The Department encourages local highway authorities to focus on long-term preventative maintenance. In November, we confirmed a record £7.3 billion of funding for local highways maintenance over the next four years. By providing long-term funding certainty, local authorities can better plan ahead and invest into preventative maintenance. This approach is also encouraged through guidance such as the Code of Practice for Well-managed highways infrastructure. Finally, to unlock their full share of the Government's £500 million funding uplift for local highways maintenance this financial year, local highway authorities had to demonstrate how they prioritise preventative maintenance. The Department has used this information to introduce a new rating system that measures how well local highway authorities maintain their roads and adopt best practice such as preventative maintenance.