Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to change the criteria for road improvement funding.

The Department for Transport consulted on the formula for highways maintenance capital funding in 2015 and made a few changes to the funding methodology based on responses received. The funding allocated to each highway authority is based on each of the local assets that they are responsible for and is a fair and proportionate way of providing funding. The Department for Transport may consider a further review of the highways maintenance funding formula following the outcome of the next Spending Review.

For the Major Road Network (MRN), the Department is aiming to publish a response to the consultation shortly, with a view to launching the network and further details on the scheme selection process by the end of the year. Once launched, it will be for the relevant local authority working with other regional partners, to make the case for MRN funding for particular schemes.