Major victory for drivers as Rachel Reeves unveils £500m in funding to clear 'plague of potholes'
WATCH: 'This will do nothing at all!' Mr Pothole blasts 'pathetic pledge' from Labour
GB NEWS
Drivers have been backed by Labour thanks to a new pledge to increase funding to tackle the issue of potholes strewn across roads around the UK.
In Labour's first Budget in 14 years, Rachel Reeves became the first female Chancellor to set out the Government's plans to improve the economy.
One of these pledges includes greater and more targeted funding for the provision of roads around the country, which has long been a bugbear for motorists.
A boost of £500million has been given to the Potholes Fund to help repair roads and help drivers have safe journeys.
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The Government has backed motorists with increased funding for potholes
PA/GETTY
Speaking in Parliament this afternoon, Rachel Reeves said: "For all too long, potholes have been a visible reminder of our failure to invest as a nation. Today that changes.
"With £500million increase in road maintenance budgets next year, more than delivering on our manifesto committment to fix an additional one million potholes each year.
"We will provide over £650million of local transport funding to improve connections across our country. In towns like Crewe and Grimsby and in our villages and rural areas from Cornwall to Cumbria."
It has been estimated that it will cost £16.3billion to fix the backlog of potholes, with further concerns about the annual repair costs for vehicles as a result of road defects.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Keir Starmer hinted that motorists could be backed in the Budget by measures to improve the state of roads.
Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, he wrote: "This is a huge day for Britain. After 14 years of decline, we will invest in our country - rebuilding our schools, hospitals and roads.
"We won’t shy away from the tough decisions to grow our economy and protect working people’s payslips. There is a brighter future ahead."
Reacting to the Budget, RAC head of policy Simon Williams, said: “This is positive news for drivers as it should enable cash-strapped local authorities to begin the process of improving the quality of their roads.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the Budget this afternoon
PA
“But it’s vital councils don’t just use the money to fill potholes as this is unlikely to deliver the long-term benefit drivers so badly want to see. We believe greater use of preventative maintenance is essential.
"Surface dressing roads at regular intervals is a proven, cost-effective way of ensuring potholes don’t appear in the first place, along with resurfacing the worst affected roads.”
Edmund King, AA president, and member of the Pothole Partnership (AA, British Cycling, National Motorcyclists Council, JCB), welcomed the changes for boosting road safety and removing dangers from roads.
He added: "As we stressed to the Chancellor and Transport Minister, we would also like to see a longer-term commitment to funding as this is important in terms of road safety, would save money for health service and repairs.
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Labour pledged to repair one million more potholes per year in its manifesto
PA"But it needs to be ring-fenced with an emphasis on innovation and more permanent preventative maintenance.”
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