Hampshire County Council heard today that its bid for a share of the national pothole fund to help fix the worst of the damage caused to Hampshire’s roads has been successful.
The Government has allocated over £6million to Hampshire County Council which was one of 148 authorities to apply for a share of the £168 million pot. The Pothole Repair Fund was announced earlier this year and councils were invited to apply for extra money to help fix the roads damaged by this winter’s severe wet weather. The Government has said that the authorities who were best able to demonstrate good practice, investing in new technology and looking at new initiatives were awarded a larger amount of the funding.
Councillor Seán Woodward, Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment at Hampshire County Council, said: “I am pleased to see that not only has the Government recognised the extent of the damage to Hampshire’s roads but also that it is reassured that the County Council can spend this money wisely. This £6m comes on top of the £11.5 million already awarded, and, I believe, is a reflection of Hampshire County Council’s commitment to long term investment in the road network.“
“Keeping Hampshire moving is a priority for us. Good infrastructure is critical to Hampshire’s economic prospects and good roads impact enormously on the day to day life of all who live and work here. We already have extra gangs and extra machinery out on the network, and are using some innovative techniques to extend the life of Hampshire’s roads as efficiently as possible.“
Hampshire County Council’s bid set out the scale of the investment planned to make Hampshire’s road network safer for motorists, cyclists and other road users. It plans to invest in a range of solutions to extend the life of the road and manage the condition of the 5,280 mile network.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Potholes are the bane of all our lives and the funding announced today is an important step in ridding our roads of this menace. But it is only one part of a massive programme of investment to get our country up to speed as part of this Government’s long term economic plan. By building, repairing and renewing our key infrastructure we will ensure the future growth and prosperity of this county.“
Pothole Funding
June 2014 Pothole Fund: £6,086,445
Potential number of potholes fixed: 114,000
Other Funding
March 2014 Weather Repair Fund: £11,509,673
Total Additional Funding Received in 2014: £17,596,118
14-15 Road Maintenance Block Funding: £20,770,000