Extra £9m to tackle potholes

Lincolnshire County Council has been given an extra £9m from central government to improve local roads and tackle potholes throughout the county.

Councillor Richard Davies, Executive Councillor for Highways and Transportation, said:  “The Department for Transport has announced additional funding of £5.8bn, over the next five years, to improve local roads across the UK .

“Lincolnshire has received the largest amount of funding in the East Midlands, with just over £161m to renew, repair and extend the life of our roads.

“This is welcome news for us, and this year’s extra funding, £9million, will increase our road maintenance budget significantly to just over £31m for 2015/16. This money will help us to repair potholes, which we prioritise by repairing the ones which aim to protect the greatest number of people first.

“The extra funding will make a noticeable difference in repairing the county’s roads, and part of it will be used to permanently repair the worst potholes.”

Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, said: “Roads play a significant part in everyday life. Poorly maintained local roads, blighted by potholes, are a menace to all road users, particularly during the festive period as people travel to see family and friends.

“It is vital we have good quality roads. This government has already taken strong action by spending £1 billion more on local roads maintenance than was spent in the previous parliament.

“The £540 million I am announcing today for the East Midlands will put an end to short term fixes and will mean we have committed £10 billion between 2010 and 2021.

“This huge investment is part of our long term economic plan to ensure we have a transport network fit for the 21st century.”