Pothole repairs for North Northants Council roads given £3.28m boost of 'new' funding from Government

Northamptonshire’s unitary councils will be given a total of £26,995,000 for road repairs – including £12,377,000 for NNC’s crumbling roads with £3.283m of that being ‘new’ funding.

West Northamptonshire Council will receive £3.885m making their total £14,618,000.

A Government spokesman said: “Roads across Northamptonshire have been plagued by potholes for too long, and the Government is investing to boost infrastructure as part of its Plan for Change

“With the drive home for Christmas about to begin, people across Northamptonshire are set to benefit from safer roads, with a huge £26,995,000 investment to fill potholes and repair roads, announced by the Government today (December 20, 2024).

“In a Christmas boost for drivers, the landmark investment will see £12,377,000 go to North Northamptonshire Council and £14,618,000 go to West Northamptonshire Council as part of a wider £1.6 billion pot of funding – an increase of nearly 50 per cent on local road maintenance funding from last year – going well beyond the Government’s manifesto pledge, and is enough to fix the equivalent of over seven million extra potholes in 2025/26.”

The announcement comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales, and the cost of pothole damage to vehicles is around £500 on average, with more severe repairs costing considerably more. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96 per cent of drivers.

The public is also being encouraged to report potholes in their area to their local council through a dedicated Gov.uk page.

MP for Kettering Rosie Wrighting said: “One of the things that is constantly raised with me on the doorstep is the shocking state of Northamptonshire’s roads, so it’s fantastic to see the Labour Government giving so much money to local authorities to fix them – with £12m+ going to North Northamptonshire Council. “There can be no excuses for the council now.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs. That’s a cost that can easily be avoided by investing properly in our roads.

“Through our Plan for Change we’re determined to put more money back into the pockets of hardworking people and improve living standards. That’s why we’re giving councils funding to repair our roads and get Britain moving again – with a clear expectation that they get on with the job.”

The Government is also making sure authorities spend the money wisely, collect the right data, and deliver ‘proactive maintenance’ before potholes start to form. The funding has built-in incentives, with 25 per cent of this uplift held back until authorities have shown that they are ‘delivering’.

Today, the government is also announcing that at least 50% of surplus lane rental funds will be reinvested into highways maintenance, so that even more roads can be improved. Lane rental schemes allow local highway authorities to charge companies for the time that street and road works occupy the road.

Additionally, the Department for Transport is also consulting on devolving powers to approve lane rental schemes, which are currently with the Secretary of State, to local Mayors. This will support the delivery of more lane rental schemes and put power back into local hands.

On top of this funding, the Transport Secretary is announcing a clampdown on disruptive street works, doubling Fixed Penalty Notices for utility companies who fail to comply with rules and extending charges for street works that run into the weekend.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “This is the biggest one-off road maintenance funding settlement councils in England have ever been given, so we have high hopes it’s the turning point that ends the degradation of our roads and finally delivers fit-for-purpose, smooth surfaces for drivers and all other road users.

“What’s particularly positive is that this announcement is not just about giving councils money to fix dangerous potholes, it comes with the important caveat of using the money wisely by carrying out preventative maintenance to stop more potholes appearing in the future. It’s also good to see the Government proactively encouraging drivers to report potholes, requiring councils to collect the right data to capture the true state of their road networks and incentivizing authorities that use the money to good effect.”

Edmund King, AA president, said: “Drivers and riders across England will be pleased to see this significant cash injection into smoothing out the local road network. With most journeys starting and ending on local roads, it is vital to restore the structural integrity of the streets we live on.

“We urge councils to focus on permanent and innovative repairs rather than adopting a ‘patch and run’ approach. Better maintenance of the road network is the number one concern of drivers as damage costs a fortune and potholes can be fatal for those on two wheels.”