Councils across England could lose millions of pounds in funding if they fail to prove they are properly fixing roads, the Government has warned.
Under new rules announced by the Department for Transport, local authorities must now clearly show that money given for highways is being spent on maintaining roads, or risk having a large chunk of it taken away.
Around £1.6billion has been set aside for councils next year, but up to £525million could be withheld from those that fail to meet the new standards.
Ministers warned that a tougher approach is needed to tackle the growing pothole crisis, which continues to frustrate drivers and damage vehicles.
Roads Minister Simon Lightwood said motorists have a right to expect safe journeys and insisted that the Government will ensure funding is not wasted.
“Potholes aren’t just an inconvenience; they cost drivers hundreds, if not more, every time they cause damage to a vehicle,” he said.
He added: “We’re making sure every penny is spent properly on fixing our roads, not diverted elsewhere.”
The Government estimated that potholes cost the average driver around £500 a year in repair bills.
Councils will now be required to publish clear reports on how money is spent, alongside long-term plans to maintain roads and to improve training for highways staff.
Councils have been warned they could be stripped of funding for failing to fix potholes
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GETTYLocal authorities that are unable to prove they are delivering improvements could lose up to a third of their funding.
The crackdown follows a recent assessment of 154 local highway authorities, which were rated red, amber or green based on road conditions and how effectively they use funding.
At the same time, ministers say councils will benefit from multi-year funding settlements for the first time, allowing them to plan ahead and tackle what has been described as years of decline in road quality.
Motoring groups have broadly welcomed the move by the Government, saying it could finally force improvements onto damaged roads.
Local highway authorities have been rated as Red, Amber or Green for road maintenance
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DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “These measures should go a long way to addressing the poor condition of local roads, which we know is drivers’ number-one concern.
“Making sure councils actually spend the money on road repairs is critical, and more preventative work should stop potholes from forming in the first place.”
AA president Edmund King also backed the plans but urged councils to go further. “We urge local authorities to use their funding to resurface roads rather than simply patch up their streets,” he said.
The Government is also stepping in to help struggling councils with 13 of the worst-performing authorities, those given a red rating, set to receive targeted support worth £300,000 each over two years.
The backlog of necessary repairs for potholes has reached a record £18.6billion nationwide | GETTY
Ministers explained that the aim is to ensure “record levels” of investment lead to noticeable improvements on the ground, with smoother and safer roads.
However, industry experts warned that the scale of the problem remains at large. David Giles, chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, said councils still face a massive repair backlog.
He said: “The latest figures show the backlog has now reached £18.62billion. It is not the silver bullet that will allow local highway engineers to fully deliver the necessary resurfacing and proactive programmes.”
Despite this, the Government insisted the new measures mark a major step forward, combining long-term funding with stricter accountability in a bid to finally get England’s roads back into shape.