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LGA - Councils respond to £100m funding boost for pothole repairs
Responding to the Department for Transport's announcement of an extra £100 million for councils to fix potholes, Cllr Peter Box, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Economy and Transport Board, said:
"Councils filled in more than 2 million potholes last year and, following the coldest December on record, face an enormous task to keep roads in a safe condition this year.
"It is good news the Government has responded to the concerns of local authorities by agreeing to the LGA's request for extra money to fix potholes caused by unprecedented winter weather.
"Even as council budgets are being cut, it is vital that road maintenance is sufficiently funded over the coming years if we are to avoid roads crumbling into disrepair. This extra money announced today is an important contribution."
NOTES TO EDITORS
1 The average cost of fixing one pothole is £78 for English councils outside London, according to the Asphalt Industry Allliance’s 2010 Alarm report: http://www.asphaltindustryalliance.com/images/library/files/Alarm_2010_web.pdf
2 Following the severe winter of 2009/10, the estimated additional cost of road repairs for an average shire county council last year was £5 million.
Author: LGA Media Office
Contact: LGA Media Team, Tel: 020 7664 3333