SOLIHULL is set to receive nearly £300,000 to repair roads as extreme weather conditions cause potholes and other damage.
West Midlands roads badly affected will benefit from a £100 million boost to help with repairs, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling announced today (Monday, March 26).
Coventry and Solihull will both receive around £280,000 to mend miles of road in ‘poor condition’ and in need of essential maintenance.
The BBC Shared Data Unit research shows Solihull is among the 13 local authorities which saw an increase in the proportion of its road network deemed poor since 2009.
About 22,990 miles across England, Wales and Scotland fell below expected standard according to research Department for Transport (DfT).
The DfT says the money will help repair almost 2million potholes as well as help protect the roads from any future severe weather.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “People rely on good roads to get to work and to see friends or family.
“We have seen an unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather which has caused damage to our local roads.
“We are giving councils even more funding to help repair their roads all road users can enjoy their journeys without having to dodge potholes.”
Transport for the West Midlands has also been awarded funding for road condition monitoring innovations.
The latest cash injection comes after £75 million in government funding was given to councils from the Pothole Action Fund this year.
And an additional £46 million boost for highways authorities was announced just before Christmas.
The government is also investing more than £900,000 in innovations using connected vehicles to help councils more efficiently manage and plan maintenance works.
These trials will ultimately help provide councils with data to enable them to repair potholes before they occur as well as maintain their other assets more effectively as part of their asset management plans.
This will help prevent further potholes and other road defects occurring over time.
The department is also providing £30,000 to the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) to work on technological and innovative improvements to future-proof the local road network.
This fund is on top of the record £6billion the government is providing local authorities between 2015 and 2021 to maintain and improve their roads.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-43407167
