Cambridgeshire to get £1.6m extra government cash to deal with pothole problems across the region

Transport secretary announces cash for Cambridgeshire in battle to end pothole plague

Cambridge roads are to benefit from an extra £1.6m cash handout from the government to help repair the region’s growing pothole problem.

Local roads in the UK, badly affected by recent winter weather will benefit from a further £100 million to help repair any potholes and other storm damage, with Cambridgeshire high on the list of handouts.

The extra funding was announced by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling today (March 29) and is aimed at tackling two million potholes as well as protecting the roads from any future severe weather.

This is on top of the £75 million in government funding already given to councils from the Pothole Action Fund this year, as well as the additional £46 million boost for highways authorities announced just before Christmas. Around seven million potholes will be filled due to this money, announced in the 2016 Budget.

Cambridgeshire’s pothole problem has been worsening as a result of the winter weather with the county council already committed to spending £3m on pothole repairs this year.

Mr Grayling said: “People rely on good roads to get to work and to see friends or family. We have seen an unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather which has caused damage to our local roads.

“We are giving councils even more funding to help repair their roads so all road users can enjoy their journeys without having to dodge potholes.”

The government is also investing more than £900,000 in innovations using connected vehicles to help councils more efficiently manage and plan maintenance works.

These trials will ultimately help provide councils with data to enable them to repair potholes before they occur as well as maintain their other assets more effectively as part of their asset management plans. This will help prevent further potholes and other road defects occurring over time.