Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of (a) potholes and (b) instances of other road damage; what estimate he has made of the additional resources that would be required to fix them; and if he will make a statement.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. It is for each local authority to decide how best to do this and it is for local decision makers to determine how to prioritise local spending.

At the recent Autumn Statement, the Chancellor confirmed the three-year settlement announced at Spending Review 2021; approximately £915 million capital funding per year for local highways maintenance.

This funding is for eligible English local authorities outside of London and the mayoral combined authorities in receipt of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS).

Well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects from forming in the first place is vital, and the Department for Transport advocates a risk-based, whole life-cycle asset management approach to all aspects of the local highway network. The Department also encourages good practice in highway maintenance for all local highway authorities and endorses the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Code of Practice; ‘Well Managed Highway Infrastructure’.