Pedestrian Areas and Roads: Snow and Ice
(asked on 16th December 2022) - View Source
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial support they provide to local authorities to ensure that they have the resources to grit roads and pavements adequately during icy weather; and whether there has been any change in the level of the resources provided in the last three years.
Answered by
Baroness Scott of Bybrook
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Section 41(1A) of the Highways Act 1980 places a duty on local authorities to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway, including pavements, is not endangered by snow or ice.
The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available an additional £5 billion to councils in England, an increase of 9% in cash terms compared to 2022/23. Taking 2022/23 and 2023/24 together, we have increased the funding available to local government in England in real terms.
The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local priorities, including the gritting of roads and pavements.