Allocations announced for redirected HS2 funding

Transport secretary Mark Harper has announced the allocations for the biggest-ever road resurfacing programme to improve local roads.

£8.3 billion of funding, redirected from the cancelled leg of HS2, is enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next 11 years.

Local highway authorities across England will receive £150 million this financial year, followed by a further £150 million for 2024/2025, with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.

Each local authority, will be able to use its share of the money to identify which local roads are most in need of repair deliver immediate improvements for communities and residents.

There is £3.3 billion for local authorities in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber; £2.2 billion for local authorities in the West Midlands and East Midlands; £2.8 billion for local authorities in the East of England, South East, South West and, for the first time in 8 years, London.

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."

Transport secretary, Mark Harper, said: "Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow and dangerous journeys. Our £8.3 billion boost to repair roads across the country shows that we’re on the side of drivers.

"Today’s biggest-ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster and safer trips – as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future."