Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what contingency plans they have prepared to support affected local authorities should they be unsuccessful in their applications to the Structures Fund.

The Structures Fund is only available for structures that local highway authorities and third parties cannot afford to maintain at, or restore to, full functionality themselves.

The Government is providing a record £7.3bn for highways maintenance from 26-27 to 29-30. It is also providing £15.6 billion through Transport for City Regions (TCR) settlements to transform the local transport networks of 9 eligible mayoral strategic authorities 26/27-31/32; a £2.3 billion Local Transport Grant for local transport infrastructure to local transport authorities outside London which do not receive TCR settlements from 26/27 to 29/30; and a £2.2 billion settlement for Transport for London. All of this funding can be used for structures on local highway networks.

The deadline for local highway authorities to put forward schemes is 3 August 2026.