Today, the Transport Secretary announced the biggest ever uplift in funding for local road improvements as part of the Government’s new £36 billion Network North transport plan.
In total, £991 million of redirected HS2 funding will go to resurfacing roads across Yorkshire and the Humber as part of an £8.3 billion long-term plan to repair over 5,000 miles of roads across the country, saving motorists up to £440 on vehicle repairs.
North Yorkshire will receive £314,185,000 over the next ten years to identify local roads requiring repair and deliver immediate improvements, with an initial injection of £4.7 million this financial year, a further £4.7 million in 2024/25, and the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.
Today’s £8.3 billion nationwide boost comes on top of the £5.5 billion already allocated for 2020/21 to 2024/25 for England outside London and extends until 2034, providing long-term certainty to local authorities. It also comes on top of the local transport, road and rail budgets allocated at the last Spending Review and in addition to what local authorities were already expecting for the next decade.
According to the RAC, taking action to resurface roads and fix potholes could save drivers up to £440 each in vehicle repairs and maintenance, which helps explain why, according to an AA survey, 96 per cent of drivers see fixing potholes and investing in roads maintenance as a priority.
Julian Smith said, “This record funding allocation is only possible thanks to the bold decision to scrap the second phase of HS2. Most people travel by roads, whether that’s by car, bus or on a bike, and ensuring they are well-maintained can save users hundreds of pounds every year.
“Particularly in a very rural areas like ours, resurfacing and repairing roads will have an immediate and noticeable impact on people’s everyday lives, allowing them to enjoy smoother, faster and safer journeys.”
*This article was updated on Monday 20th November: it now correctly states that North Yorkshire will receive an additional £4.7 million this financial year and next. The original article indicated this figure would be £14.8 million each year, a figure which covered Yorkshire and the Humber rather than North Yorkshire
