Views sought on £6bn funding pot

The Department for Transport (DfT) is seeking views on how £5.8 billion funding for local highways maintenance should be distributed.

A document entitled ‘Gearing up for efficient highway delivery and funding’ has been released as supporting material for a series of regional roadshows which are being held by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP) on the topic of highways maintenance efficiencies and funding.

The document sets out ideas on how funding could be distributed from 2015 onwards in order to maximise benefits. This includes looking at the existing formula for block grant to each local highway authority and considers whether a top slice of the funding should be used for a competition bid fund for major maintenance schemes.

The £5.8bn funding will be released from 2015/16 to 2020/21.

Roads Minister Robert Goodwill (pictured) said: “We all have views on our highway network and how public money should be spent. Indeed, this feeling is frequently reflected in local and national opinion surveys.

“It is therefore vitally important that we achieve maximum returns from the money which has been allocated for highways maintenance. Significant progress has already been made across the highways sector through the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme to ensure we as a sector – get the most from every pound that is spent. However, more can be done not only to drive efficiencies, but to target those partsof the local highway network which are most in need.

“That is why we are running a series of events this winter. I encourage all those who have been invited to attend to let us know your ideas and experiences. Your views will be vital to developing policies for future funding.”