PM tells councils to prove action on pothole plague to unlock extra cash and reveals £4.8 billion for major roads
The Plan for Change is tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.
- £1.6 billion investment to tackle scourge of potholes to be delivered to councils from next month as PM tells councils to put cash to use
- for the first time every council in England must publish how many potholes they’ve filled or lose road cash
- local authorities that comply will receive their full share of the £500 million roads pot – enough to fill the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change
- government also announces £4.8 billion for 2025 to 2026 for motorways and major A-roads including economy boosting road schemes on the A47 and M3
The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the government demands councils prove their progress or face losing cash.
From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the government’s record £1.6 billion highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500 million – enough to fill 7 million potholes a year.
But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from today (24 March 2025) publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25% of the uplift (£125 million in total) withheld.
Also today, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8 billion funding for 2025 to 2026 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.
This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes in construction, such as the A428 Black Cat scheme in Cambridgeshire, and starting vital improvements to the A47 around Norwich and M3 J9 scheme in Hampshire, building thousands of new homes, creating high-paid jobs, connecting ports and airports, to grow the economy and deliver the Plan for Change.
It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average of £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers.
This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:
The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs. Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.
Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes and maintain major roads across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.
British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:
After years of neglect we’re tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.
The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25% of their £500 million funding boost.
Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.
To ensure councils are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.
They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse.
By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal.
To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.
Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said:
Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes. At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.
The £4.8 billion for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive growth as part of Plan for Change.
The £4.8 billion includes a record £1.3 billion investment to keep this vital network in good repair, so the network remains fit for the future, and £1.8 billion for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day. As well as £1.3 billion for essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing.
Since entering office, the government has approved over £200 million for the A47 Thickthorn Junction and £290 million for M3 Junction 9 plus £90 million for local road schemes like the A130 Fairglen Interchange, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, the A350 Chippenham Bypass, the A647 scheme in Leeds. This is a total of over £580 million for schemes to get Britain moving.
Graham Stapleton, Chief Executive Officer, Halfords, said:
We repair a lot of vehicles damaged by potholes but in the long run businesses like ours are best served by a well-maintained national road network that motorists want to use. Our focus has always been on prevention rather than cure, keeping people safe on the road and saving them money with regular maintenance and servicing.
Potholes are not just a nuisance, they are a safety hazard. Every day we see vehicles in our garages with damaged tyres and problems with suspension and wheel alignment caused by potholes. We’ve been calling for action on the quality of road surfaces for a long time and we warmly welcome the government’s pothole plan.
Caroline Julian, Brand and Engagement Director at British Cycling and member of the Pothole Partnership, said:
Cycling is critical to tackling the nation’s economic, social and health inequalities, but the poor condition of our roads prevents thousands of people from choosing to take to the saddle. Potholes also pose a significant danger to anyone choosing to travel by bike, often leading to injuries – and at worst, fatalities.
Providing more opportunities for government to learn, adapt and grow the support they give local councils to repair and improve conditions on our roads is a positive move. We’re optimistic that this will help to bring about better, safer spaces – ultimately enabling more people to make active travel the default way to get around.
Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, said:
Poorly maintained roads filled with holes can cause misery for small business owners, who are often reliant on their vehicles. Potholes aren’t just an inconvenience for small business owners, but a drain on cash. A quarter (24%) of small firms were forced to pay out more than £300 to fix damage caused by potholes in the last year, according to our research.
We’ve been calling for local authorities to make public their plans for road maintenance to make sure funds aren’t absorbed into other funding pots. This new requirement to publish progress reports is a big step to give reassurance that money allocated to tackle potholes is used to do just that.
Jonathan Walker, Head of Cities and Infrastructure Policy, Logistics UK, said:
Logistics businesses have been hampered by the delays and costs of vehicle damage caused by the UK’s crumbling roads network for some time, so news that this funding is to be released for local authorities will be welcomed by our members, whose work keeps the economy supplied with all that businesses, homes, hospitals and schools need.
It is vital that local authorities now take urgent action to activate long-term planned improvement works to ensure we can keep Britain’s economy moving.
Craig Carey-Clinch, Executive Director National Motorcyclists Council (NMC), said:
The NMC welcomes this announcement as a very positive step forward curing the pothole plague. Progress reporting is a key part of the solution. Potholes and road surface defects are extremely hazardous for motorcycle riders. The same pothole that can damage a car, could have a far more serious consequence for a motorcyclist or cyclist.
The NMC, a member of the Pothole Partnership, also urges local authorities to use funding sustainably on high standard permanent repairs, not on short-life temporary patching.
Nicholas Lyes, Director of Policy and Standard, IAM RoadSmart, said:
Potholes are a nuisance for drivers and a road safety hazard, particularly for those on 2 wheels. Moreover, the public often feels frustrated by the quality of repairs particularly when the same defect reappears only months after it was thought to be fixed.
It is, therefore, welcome to see a requirement for a greater level of transparency from local highway authorities that not only focuses on the number of potholes repaired but also the quality of the maintenance carried out. We believe this should help create smoother and safer journeys.
Simon Williams, Head of Policy, RAC, said:
Drivers are desperate to see an improvement in the quality of their local roads and a reduction in the number of potholes. Linking the release of additional funding to councils informing drivers on the progress they’re making to fix the roads should mean that the record level of government funding is used in the best possible way.
While filling potholes, which are the bane of drivers’ lives, is clearly a priority, preventing them appearing in the first place through the use of surface dressing and other preservation techniques is equally important.
Toby Poston, British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) Chief Executive, said:
Potholes are a national blight that present a major risk to road user safety, productivity and affordability. Public budgets are tight and it is great to see an initiative that will help focus much-needed maintenance investment and highlight which authorities are being negligent.
National Highways Chief Executive, Nick Harris, said:
We welcome today’s announcement. This interim settlement allows us to continue connecting the country safely and reliably. Our motorways and A roads are vital for economic growth, connecting cities and regions, supporting businesses, and enabling new housing and infrastructure projects.
We will soon publish our interim period delivery plan, outlining our priorities and how we will meet the targets set out by the government.
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