Stuart Anderson MP has launched a campaign to tackle the scourge of potholes in South Shropshire. In Network North, the previous government had committed a record investment of £8.3 billion to fix the blight of potholes on roads up and down the country as part of a nationwide road resurfacing scheme.
The redirected HS2 funding was enough to resurface more than 5,000 miles of road across England over eleven years. In November 2023, Stuart welcomed the plans to invest £153 million in highways maintenance in Shropshire as part of the additional allocations that were announced in October 2023.
The extra funding was in addition to the annual highways maintenance block. Stuart said that the funding had equipped Shropshire Council with the certainty needed to plan long-term interventions.
Yet, the new government has only pledged a fraction of the previously announced funding with an additional £500 million for road maintenance in 2025-2026. Ministers have also stated that "25% of the funding uplift will be held back until local authorities can prove that they are meeting certain criteria.
Stuart has now joined calls to have the full funding released. He has joined the Local Government Association in urging Ministers to reconsider its decision to retain a quarter of the funding. In a statement, the Local Government Association said:
“Councils already spend considerably more on maintaining their highways than what they receive from central government. Fully funding councils will enable them to far more effectively plan for and invest in preventative treatments which keep surfaces in better condition for longer and prevent potholes, which are more expensive to repair.”
Last year, Stuart wrote to the Minister for Local Transport, calling for the new government to stand by the original investment. In a reply to Stuart, the Minister stated: "This government will be closely examining the funding commitments made by the previous government in the Network North Command Paper."
The Minister added: "As the Chancellor informed Parliament, the Secretary of State for Transport is commissioning an internal review of the department’s capital spend portfolio." Stuart hopes that the original funding will be provided for Shropshire so that it can invest more in our public transport network and fix the potholes.
According to the AA, a record £579 million was spent in the UK last year repairing vehicles damaged by potholes. This is up from £474 million in 2023. The RAC has stated that smoother, well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each year in expensive vehicle repairs following pothole damage.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"Potholes blight rural areas like South Shropshire, costing the owners of damaged vehicles almost £400 each year. So, I was delighted when the last government committed £8.3 billion towards resurfacing 5,000 miles of road as part of a decade's long repair scheme. The new government has decided against this long-term investment by publishing allocations for next year only. It has also held back a quarter of the funding, making it dependent on unspecified criteria. I am calling on Ministers to rethink their approach and stand by the previously announced investment for Shropshire. It would equip the Council with the certainty needed to plan ahead. I am also urging residents who have experienced potholes and other problems with road surfaces to tell me about it as part of my new pothole Patrol initiative."
Stuart has launched a survey to demonstrate the importance of this issue. He is urging residents who have experienced a particular issue with a road surface to tell him about it as part of his new 'Pothole Patrol' initiative.
