Hull and East Yorkshire are set to get £26.5m in government funding for road repairs.
The Government has announced a £1.6bn investment in highways maintenance to fill potholes and repair roads, with local authorities in England being set to receive an allocation of the funding to deliver immediate fixes for their communities.
At nearly 50 per cent higher than last year’s local road maintenance funding, the money is enough to fix more than seven million extra potholes around the country.
Between Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the region will be receiving almost £26.5m, with the two authorities being allocated £4,482,000 and £22,015,000, respectively. This includes £5,876,000 in ‘new funding’ for the East Riding, and £1,139,000 for Hull.
The Government says it is also making sure authorities spend the money wisely, collect the right data, and deliver proactive maintenance before potholes start to form. The funding has built-in incentives, with 25 per cent of this uplift held back until authorities have shown that they are delivering.
The newly-appointed Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander said: “Potholes have plagued motorists for far too long, but today’s record investment will start to reverse a decade of decline on our country’s roads.
“Millions will drive home for Christmas today, but too many will have to endure an obstacle course to reach their loved ones. Potholes damage cars, and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe. We are investing £1.6bn to fix up to seven million more potholes next year.
“This Government is firmly on the side of drivers. Every area of England will get extra cash to tackle this problem once and for all. We have gone beyond our manifesto commitment to back motorists and help raise living standards in every part of the country.”
Edmund King, president of the AA added: “We urge councils to focus on permanent and innovative repairs rather than adopting a ‘patch and run’ approach. Better maintenance of the road network is the number one concern of drivers as damage costs a fortune and potholes can be fatal for those on two wheels. “
