Hampshire County Council is stepping up its call for a fairer share of national transport funding, urging Government to provide long-term, sustainable investment in local roads and give greater flexibility over how funding is spent.
The move comes as the County Council has pledged to increase its focus on planned, preventative highway maintenance, building on a programme of works delivered over the spring and summer to repair and strengthen roads.
Last week the County Council’s Cabinet agreed to intensify its campaign for a fairer share of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) revenues for Hampshire, arguing that councils responsible for maintaining local roads should receive a greater proportion of funding raised from motorists.
Cabinet Member for Highways, Councillor Steve Forster, said:
“Maintaining Hampshire’s roads remains one of our top priorities, and we are committed to doing all we can with the resources available to us. However, the scale of the challenge facing local highway authorities means long-term, sustainable Government funding is essential.
“We are calling for a fairer share of Vehicle Excise Duty for Hampshire and greater local flexibility over how funding is used, so we can target investment where it is needed most and make the best decisions for our residents and businesses.
“As the Government pursues its devolution agenda, there is growing recognition that decisions are often best made closest to the communities they affect. We would welcome the support of residents, businesses, community groups and Hampshire’s MPs in making the case for increased investment in Hampshire’s highways network and greater local control over how funding is spent locally.”
Hampshire’s local highway network continues to face increasing and unprecedented pressures from inflation, ageing infrastructure, growing traffic demand and more frequent severe weather events. The current maintenance backlog for Hampshire alone is estimated at between £550 million and £600 million. The local authority is responsible for around 5,500 miles of local roads and highway assets valued at around £17 billion making it one of the largest highways networks in the country.
Councillor Forster added:
“Our highways teams have been working throughout the spring and summer, making the most of longer days and favourable weather conditions to repair and strengthen roads across Hampshire. While we will always respond to issues such as potholes, we are increasing our focus on planned preventative maintenance wherever possible. Taking action earlier helps keep roads in better condition for longer and reduces the need for more costly repairs in the future.”
(Picture: Hampshire County Council)
