Road repairs are public's top priority

As the UK approaches the local authority elections next week more than 23 million Britons say they want councils to repair roads as their first priority.

The findings come from new research commissioned by support services specialist May Gurney into the facilities people feel most need improving in their communities.

Local roads topped the poll, with almost half (49%) of people feeling this should be the focus for councils, with cleaner and tidier streets (29%) and improved public transport (25%) also scoring highly among British residents.

Philip Fellowes-Prynne (pictured), CEO at May Gurney said:  “Local authorities have been under a lot of pressure this year from a combination of Government spending cuts and the need to maintain services in the face of increasing demand.

"Councils are having to find spending cuts of 27% over the next four years as well as contend with extraordinary expenditure, such as repairs to roads damaged by the severe weather conditions that hit regions across the UK in January.

"While the Government’s announcement of an additional £200 million in funding for pothole repairs is good news, it is clearly something that the public feel is a priority."