Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the level of local authority preparedness and funding for winter road maintenance.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network are in need of repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. This duty includes winter maintenance.

In terms of funding, this Government is providing both tools and funding to local highway authorities in England, outside London, to tackle the condition of our local road network. In the Spending Review 2015, the Government announced that we are allocating a total of £6.1 billion funding for local highways maintenance between now and 2021. This funding includes an additional £250 million between 2016 and 2021 for a potholes action fund to improve local roads, to promote innovation within the sector and to ensure that taxpayers get greater value for money. I also note that funding in 2010 to 2015 was itself £1 billion higher than in 2005 to 2010.

Further details can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/6-billion-funding-to-tackle-potholes-and-improve-local-roads

In October, I wrote to the leaders of all local highway authorities reminding them of their responsibilities regarding preparation for winter and the need for robust contingency plans in place to mitigate against any significant weather we may encounter over the winter period. I also took the opportunity to remind them of the recommendations to local authorities made in the independent review of transport resilience the Department commissioned following the wet winter of 2013/14. The report can be found at the following web link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-resilience-review-recommendations

The Department for Transport (DfT) continues to play its part to ensure we stay ahead of the game for the winter and some of the action we are taking to ensure the country enters the 2015/16 winter season well prepared. This includes continuing to maintain a substantial national emergency salt reserve, first set up by the Coalition government, and having a robust distribution process in place, if for any reason this salt of last resort is needed to be allocated.

We have published on the DfT section of GOV.UK website a Salt Protocol Note which sets out the arrangements for the allocation of emergency reserve salt to local authorities, if and when required. From October, the Department regularly monitors salt stocks being held by highway authorities.

We also work with the Met Office and other Government departments in respect of the ‘Get Ready for Winter’ Campaign. The guidance provides to the general public advice on clearing snow and ice from pathways and we encourage local authorities to include a web link on their website to it. The guidance can be found here:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/get-ready-for-winter/out-and-about/the-snow-code