Cash boost for local roads

Roads in disarray across the country are a common sight these days with potholes and uneven surfaces creating endless problems for motorists.

But improvements look set to be on the way, as funding allocations for councils have been announced, giving local authorities the opportunity to plan how they spend their share of a £215m pot for local road maintenance, announced in the Chancellor's Autumn statement.

As a condition of the extra funding, councils must publish a short statement in their websites at the end of each financial year setting out what and where the funding has been spent to ensure transparency with local residents.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "This extra money will support economic growth and development by helping local authorities to get the best out of their local road networks.

"This funding can be spent on measures to bring smoother, safer and more reliable journeys to the travelling public whether they are commuting to work or taking the children to school."

This maintenance funding could be used for improvements such as road resurfacing, maintenance to bridges or repairing damage to highway infrastructure caused by severe weather events, such as the recent flooding.

The £215m is part of a £333m fund announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement for essential maintenance to renew, repair and extend the life of roads in England. This funding is in addition to the £3bn the Government already provides for councils in England between 2011 and 2015 for highways maintenance