Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the announcement on additional funding for pothole repairs in the Spring Budget 2023, what his Department's policy is on whether pothole funding can also be used by local authorities to maintain (a) footways and (b) cycleways.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Pothole funding can be used for all highways repairs, including to footways and cycleways.
Written Evidence Feb. 01 2024
Inquiry: Children, young people and the built environmentFound: There are now over 500 school streets, around 100 low traffic neighbourhoods, and 352km of Cycleways
Feb. 27 2024
Source Page: Recovered appeal: land south of A46 Shurdington Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham (ref: 3309156 - 27 February 2024)Found: s Report for a recovered appeal for a residential development comprising 350 dwellings, open space, cycleways
Mar. 22 2024
Source Page: Recovered appeals: land south of Chiswell Green Lane and land north of Chiswell Green Lane, St. Albans (refs: 3313110 and 3312277 - 22 March 2024)Found: a new school, open space provision and associated landscaping, internal roads, parking, footpaths, cycleways
Asked by: Gen Kitchen (Labour - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 4.12 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC 560, whether recent funding allocated to pothole repairs will be used to help motorists report potholes.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has announced, as part of the Prime Minister’s Network North plan, that an additional £8.3 billion will be provided to local highway authorities across England over the period 2023/24 to 2033/34 to enable them to maintain and resurface local roads. £150 million of this additional funding has been made available to local authorities in 2023/24 and a further £150 million will be made available in 2024/25. This uplift, in additional to the £200 million funding increase announced in the 2023 Spring Budget, means that local highway authorities across England, including North Northamptonshire, are receiving around 30% more highway maintenance capital grant funding in the 2023/24 financial year than in the previous financial year.
The funding is for the resurfacing of carriageways, cycleways and footways to prevent potholes and other road defects from occurring, as well as to help keep local bridges and other highway structures open and safe. It is up to the respective highway authority how best to spend it to fulfil their statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980.
Motorists can already report potholes and other road defects through their respective local highway authority websites. The additional funding will enable local authorities to do more to tackle potholes and other problems reported by motorists. The Department has asked all local highway authorities to publish details of how the additional funding is being spent, and these reports should already be on authorities’ websites. This will help raise awareness of highway maintenance issues and may encourage more road users to report potholes.
Asked by: Gen Kitchen (Labour - Wellingborough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of trends in the levels of pothole repair funding.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has announced, as part of the Prime Minister’s Network North plan, that an additional £8.3 billion will be provided to local highway authorities across England over the period 2023/24 to 2033/34 to enable them to maintain and resurface local roads. £150 million of this additional funding has been made available to local authorities in 2023/24 and a further £150 million will be made available in 2024/25. This uplift, in additional to the £200 million funding increase announced in the 2023 Spring Budget, means that local highway authorities across England, including North Northamptonshire, are receiving around 30% more highway maintenance capital grant funding in the 2023/24 financial year than in the previous financial year.
The funding is for the resurfacing of carriageways, cycleways and footways to prevent potholes and other road defects from occurring, as well as to help keep local bridges and other highway structures open and safe. It is up to the respective highway authority how best to spend it to fulfil their statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980.
Motorists can already report potholes and other road defects through their respective local highway authority websites. The additional funding will enable local authorities to do more to tackle potholes and other problems reported by motorists. The Department has asked all local highway authorities to publish details of how the additional funding is being spent, and these reports should already be on authorities’ websites. This will help raise awareness of highway maintenance issues and may encourage more road users to report potholes.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues to highway authorities on best practice in local roads maintenance to achieve (a) value for money and (b) improved outcomes.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department strongly advocates a risk-based, whole lifecycle asset management approach to local authority highways maintenance programmes. This considers all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways, and lighting columns, and not just the fixing of potholes.
The Department also encourages good practice in local highway maintenance for all local highway authorities and endorses the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Code of Practice 'Well-managed highway infrastructure' - https://www.ciht.org.uk/ukrlg-home/code-of-practice/. The Code gives advice on all aspects of highway maintenance.
Oct. 23 2023
Source Page: Spalding receives £20 million to level up health and wellbeing (Levelling Up Fund 2)Found: dementia support bereavement support group counselling diabetes clinics The masterplan also includes new cycleways
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will issue guidance to local authorities on the use of longer-lasting road surfacing materials.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department allocates pothole and highway maintenance capital funding to local highway authorities in England, outside of London, based on the length of roads, number of street lighting columns, and the number of bridges for which they are responsible. It is up to the respective highway authority how best to spend this funding to fulfil its statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, based on local knowledge, circumstances and priorities.
The Department strongly advocates a risk-based whole lifecycle asset management approach to local authority highways maintenance programmes. This considers all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways, and lighting columns – and not just the fixing of potholes.
The Department encourages good practice in local highway maintenance and endorses the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Code of Practice 'Well-managed highway infrastructure' - https://www.ciht.org.uk/ukrlg-home/code-of-practice/. The Code gives advice on all aspects of highway maintenance and Recommendation 32 gives advice on carbon reduction.
Decarbonisation is a key Government priority. Through the ADEPT Live Labs research programme, the Department is investing £30 million into seven projects aimed at reducing carbon by using sustainable materials and processes, such as warm-mix asphalts and asphalt modifiers.
Local highway authorities across England are set to benefit from a major boost in funding for highway maintenance, representing the biggest ever road resurfacing programme to improve local roads. My Department has published details of the £8.3 billion extra road funding which will make an unprecedented transformation in the condition of our highways.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will issue guidance to highways authorities on the best practice to decarbonise roads maintenance.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department allocates pothole and highway maintenance capital funding to local highway authorities in England, outside of London, based on the length of roads, number of street lighting columns, and the number of bridges for which they are responsible. It is up to the respective highway authority how best to spend this funding to fulfil its statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, based on local knowledge, circumstances and priorities.
The Department strongly advocates a risk-based whole lifecycle asset management approach to local authority highways maintenance programmes. This considers all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways, and lighting columns – and not just the fixing of potholes.
The Department encourages good practice in local highway maintenance and endorses the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Code of Practice 'Well-managed highway infrastructure' - https://www.ciht.org.uk/ukrlg-home/code-of-practice/. The Code gives advice on all aspects of highway maintenance and Recommendation 32 gives advice on carbon reduction.
Decarbonisation is a key Government priority. Through the ADEPT Live Labs research programme, the Department is investing £30 million into seven projects aimed at reducing carbon by using sustainable materials and processes, such as warm-mix asphalts and asphalt modifiers.
Local highway authorities across England are set to benefit from a major boost in funding for highway maintenance, representing the biggest ever road resurfacing programme to improve local roads. My Department has published details of the £8.3 billion extra road funding which will make an unprecedented transformation in the condition of our highways.