In addition to the 40 resurfacing schemes programmed following
the Minister's December Monitoring allocation, Infrastructure
Minister has launched a £7.85m Winter
Recovery Road Fund to tackle the impact of recent severe weather
conditions have had across our network.
Minister Kimmins said: "I am all too aware that the recent
storms, prolonged rainfall, ice and snow have all taken their
toll on our roads, and I have been working to identify and secure
funding to address the problem. Today, I can confirm that I have
established a £7.85m Winter Recovery Road Fund to allow an urgent
and direct focus on repairing the surface defects which are
causing the most concern.
“The winter period has taken a severe toll on the road network.
To put the current situation in context, 49,000 defects have been
recorded in the last three months alone, which is close to half
the total for the whole of the previous year.
“Given the scale of the damage caused, it is not possible to
address every issue in the short-term. However, in addition to
securing the additional funding being announced today, I have
also asked my officials to also explore every avenue to maximise
our available workforce capacity to ensure we are doing as much
as we can as quickly as possible.
"I am committed to doing all I can to improve our roads and the
Winter Recovery Road Fund will allow vital repairs to the worst
affected areas to be carried out in a focused way and completed
as soon as possible.”
Speaking on other measures to help the condition of our roads,
the Minister continued: “I want to raise the standard of
maintenance across the network, ensuring that interventions are
timely, durable, and delivered to consistently high
specifications. I launched the new Road Maintenance
Strategy in December which recently closed for public
consultation and I hope that people took the opportunity to
respond.”
The Minister concluded: “The Winter Recovery Road Fund will
allow additional repairs on the worst of our weather-impacted
roads. This short-term boost is coupled with the longer-term
strategy that will provide greater detail to inform strategic
decision making. This will also continue to be supported by the
ongoing reporting of potholes and surface defects via the online
portal and I encourage the public to do this. Maintenance staff
will continue to inspect and make-safe defects by working to
address the highest priority defects as fast as possible, in
accordance with our policy to ensure the safety of the travelling
public.”
Notes to editors
- Potholes and other surface defects on the roads are more
likely to happen at this time of year. Why? Because when it
rains, water enters small cracks and freeze–thaw cycles expand
and break apart the surface. Heavy or prolonged rain damages the
underlying layers, reducing a roads load‑bearing capacity leading
to potholes, rutting, and surface deformation. Flooding can also
erode sub‑base materials, damage embankments, and block drainage
systems, creating long‑term water damage. Overall, adverse
weather speeds up both surface wear and structural fatigue,
increasing maintenance needs and reducing the lifespan of the
road.
