Most people across the country travel by road, but potholes can cause misery for motorists from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow and dangerous journeys. That is why the Conservative Government is investing a total of £8.3 billion of redirected HS2 funding to resurface roads across the country the biggest ever uplift in funding for local road improvements.
This investment will be transformative for every region across the country, creating smoother, well maintained, and safer roads for all. Rebecca Harris has welcomed £121.2 million of funding from the Conservative Government over the next 11 years in Essex, meaning thousands of people across Castle Point will enjoy smoother, safer, and faster road journeys. The funding follows the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ’s announcement at Conservative Party Conference that the £36 billion that would have been spent extending HS2 would now be spent on long term transport improvements that will deliver better, faster journeys for far more people.
New plans allow the Conservative Government to invest £8.3 billion, enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of roads across the country, saving motorists up to £440 on vehicle repairs and creating smoother, safer, and easier journeys for all. Across Essex, local highway authorities will receive £3,870,000 this financial year, followed by a further £3,870,000 for 2024-25, as part of a long-term funding plan through to 2034. This funding 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. This announcement is only possible due to the long-term decision the Conservative Government has taken to redirect every penny of savings from HS2 in transport projects across the country–benefitting more people in more places, more quickly.
Commenting, Rebecca Harris said: “People across Castle Point rely on our roads to go about their daily lives, and I know the inconvenience potholes can cause. That is why I welcome the Government’s decision to redirect HS2 funding to local highway authorities, with Essex set to receive £121,205,000 in total. This funding will greatly improve the day-to-day lives of my constituents– ensuring shorter, faster and smoother journeys. If you have noticed highway or road issues, please report them to Essex Highways so that they can be fixed.”
Commenting, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for hardworking families- tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example. Well- maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket. This unprecedented £8.3 billion investment will pave the road for better and safer journeys for millions of people across the country and put an end to the blight of nuisance potholes.”
Councillor Tom Cunningham, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport, said: "By allocating £121 million to Essex, the Government has recognised that well maintained and repaired roads are a priority for Essex residents the width and breadth of this county. I want each person that calls Essex their home to feel pride in the place they live, and supporting the transport network by delivering repairs will help do just that. Essex County Council made an important commitment to delivering more road maintenance works this year by allocating additional financial support for highways, and I'm pleased to see that extra repairs are being delivered up and down the county thanks to that support. The Government funding will help us continue with the repairs Essex Highways works hard to deliver."
*To report an issue with highways and roads in Castle Point (or elsewhere in Essex), follow this link.*
