Good news! Potholes to be fixed with budget redirected from scrapped HS2 project

The government has announced intentions to put £8.3 billion into filling the UK’s potholes. In a move some might call ‘unbelievable’ and others might call ‘long overdue’, as many as 5,000 potholes could be fixed.

The pot of cash - redirected after scrapping part of the HS2 project - isn’t going to be available up front (obviously). Each local authority will get £150 million per year between now and 2034, and yes, eagle-eyed readers will have noted they've given themselves over a decade to keep filling those holes.

Broken down by regions, the share of the pot will look like this: the North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber is getting £3.3 billion. The East, South East, South West and London will get £2.8 billion, and the West and East Midlands will receive £2.2 billion.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reckons it’ll save motorists as much as £440 per year on vehicle repairs. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow and dangerous journeys. Our £8.3 billion boost to repair roads across the country shows that we’re on the side of drivers.

“Today’s biggest-ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster and safer trips – as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”

Such a commitment is a strong election move. The government is also keen to point out this investment will be on top of the monies already pledged for other things, like buses. According to an AA survey, as many as 96 per cent of drivers consider pothole-filling and general road maintenance a top priority.