Mayor has set out plans to double
the amount of money given to councils for fixing potholes and
resurfacing the region's crumbling roads.
He wants to make £240m available to six councils, Coventry,
Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton to cover
their highway maintenance over five years from April 2027. That
is double the £120m awarded to the councils for the current
five-year period.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board will be asked
to approve the £240m funding when it meets on Friday, February
13.
Last year the Mayor secured an additional £20 million from
the Department for Transport to top up council road repair
budgets for 2025-27 – helping councils fill thousands more
potholes while awaiting the new funding.
The Mayor said: “This winter has been brutal on our highways
forcing drivers to navigate thousands of potholes, cracks and
deep craters. They aren't just an inconvenience, they are costing
motorists a fortune in repairs and putting cyclists at serious
risk.
“People across the West Midlands tell me that the lack of
investment in our roads is one of their top frustrations – and I
share that frustration. So we're making road repairs a top
priority by doubling our investment, providing our councils with
the funding they need to ensure smoother, safer journeys for
everyone.”
There are also plans to give councils additional funding for
smaller projects, such as crossings, pathways and junction
upgrades with a focus on improving road safety and encouraging
more people to walk, wheel and cycle.
The increase in pothole funding is part of a wider review of
transport investment to make sure the region gets maximum benefit
from the £2.4bn Transport for City
Regions funding secured by the Mayor last summer.
This includes making sure that tram, train, bus, road and cycling
and walking investment supports jobs, business growth and new
housing as well as improving journeys.
Birmingham City Council's road repairs are funded through a
separate private finance initiative process.
