- The majority of 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.
Jason McCartney MP has welcomed £309,559,000 of funding from the Conservative Government over the next eleven years in West Yorkshire, meaning thousands of people across Colne Valley, Holme Valley and Lindley 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 West Yorkshire, local highway authorities will receive ,633,000 this financial year, followed by a further £4,633,000 for 2024-25, as part of a long-term funding plan through to 2034.
This is one of the key cornerstones of Network North to improve every day journeys. 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, Jason McCartney MP said:
People across Colne Valley, Holme Valley and Lindley 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 West Yorkshire set to receive £309,559,000 in total.
This funding will greatly improve the day-to-day lives of my constituents – ensuring shorter, faster and smoother journeys.
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.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Millions of people across the country will enjoy smoother, safer, and faster roads following the biggest ever funding uplift for local road improvements. The Transport Secretary Mark Harper has set out the allocations of £8.3 billion to repair roads across the country, creating smoother, safer and faster journeys for all (DfT, Press Release, 17 November 2023, link).
- The Conservative Government’s investment of £8.3 billion to repair roads across the country could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs – helping motorists keep more of their hard-earned money. According to the RAC, smoother, well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs from pothole damage, helping motorists keep more of their cash in their pocket (DfT, Press Release, 17 November 2023, link).
- Roads across the country will benefit from an investment of £8.3 billion – enough to resurface 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next eleven years. Local highway authorities are set to receive £8.3 billion of Government funding, which is part of the long-term plan to resurface 5,000 miles of roads across the country (DfT, Press Release, 17 November 2023, link).
- The £8.3 billion of Government funding is in addition to previous spending commitments. The funding 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 (DfT, Press Release, 17 November 2023, link).
