A Lincolnshire councillor has welcomed the new £54.3 million investment for the county’s road network.
The money comes after the announcement by the DfT of an extra £1.7 billion for the UK road network and also news of the full maintenance allocation for local authorities for 2020 and 2021.
Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways and transport at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “With over 5,500 miles of roads across Lincolnshire, this multi-million pound government funding will provide a welcome boost for our road and transport network. What this will allow us to do is spend more money on roads maintenance, including fixing potholes, repairing pavements, resurfacing and improving our roads.
“We have been determined throughout this time to keep our key highway maintenance schemes going and ensure our roads are safe for key workers and those making essential journeys. We have adapted the way we work to keep crews safe, and to take advantage of quieter roads to carry out bigger projects with less disruption to drivers. The other element of this funding is to help bolster sustainable transport, he added.
“In line with the government’s latest advice for those returning to work to try and walk or cycle if they can, we are looking at how we can help support that message and take advantage of the upsurge in people walking and cycling during the lockdown. Our largely rural county has its own unique challenges when it comes to sustainable transport, but we are putting together tailored plans for each of our large settlements to help embed active travel into our communities. This government funding will allow us to accelerate those plans.”
The council says it is pro-actively looking at areas where temporary and permanent measures could be put in place to make journeys easier and faster for cyclists. This might include extending and joining up existing cycle paths, or creating temporary bike lines in large towns and Lincoln.
