New Delhi: The UK government announced £1.6 billion in funding to help councils in England repair roads and fill potholes. This funding represents a 50% increase in local road maintenance funding from last year and is enough to fix the equivalent of over seven million extra potholes from 2025 to 2026, according to the Department for Transport (DfT), a press release stated.
The funding will be allocated to local authorities, who will be responsible for identifying and repairing the roads in most need of attention.
The government will ensure authorities spend money wisely, collect accurate data, and perform proactive maintenance before potholes form. 25% of the funding uplift is withheld until authorities demonstrate delivery, the release affirmed.
Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said, “Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs. That’s a cost that can easily be avoided by investing properly in our roads.”