Hundreds of millions of pounds of funding – secured by West of England Mayoral Combined Authority – is set to be invested to repair roads, pavements, and bridges over the coming years.
Through a new initiative, the Mayor’s Potholes & Pavements Fund [launched in this social media video], some £215 millionis due to be invested in maintenance to fix road defects and structures, and help improve people’s journeys across the West of England. This would represent an increase of some £40 million compared to previous funding windows (over 20% more).
Funding would be directly allocated to Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire councils, following representations from local authorities, while workis underway in relation to future funding for North Somerset, who are in the process of joining the combined authority.
The record investment in fixing potholes and pavements is set to sit alongside planned regional investment in better buses, more trains and stations, mass transit plans, and active travel, to continue delivering the West of England’s ambitious Transport Vision.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“Everyone who uses the West’s roads and pavements will welcome this record investment in our part of the world thanks to the record transport funding that we have securedfrom the national government.
“Fixing more potholes across the West of England would help more motorists swerve annoying bills, which stack up to morethan £300 on average for drivers, and make walking and cycling safer too.”
Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council; Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council and Deputy Mayor of the West of England; CouncillorMike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council; Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, and Councillor Ian Boulton, Co-Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said in a joint statement:
“Potholes and damaged pavements are among the most common concerns raised by residents. This investment is therefore good news for communities across the West of England,helping councils maintain roads and footways, improve safety, and support smoother journeys for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and public transport users alike.”
The Local Transport Delivery Plan is due to be submitted to the Department for Transport at the end of October, with final details currently being developed by the combined authority and local authorities.
An update on the plan is due to be noted at the Mayor and council leaders’ next meeting on 23 October, with a record £752 million secured by the West of England through Transport for City Regions from the Department for Transport to invest from 2027-32.
Nationally, the Autumn Budget last year announced £7.3 billion of funding over the next four years to help enable councils to repair more potholes.
Attached photo – credit: Freia Turland / West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
