The Minister for Roads has confirmed his intention to produce plans to support local authorities to set up more lane rental funds to help fund pothole repairs
In his keynote speech at Highways UK in Birmingham, he said he wanted more local authorities to set up the schemes as quickly as possible. Speaking to the audience he said: “If there are any local authorities that you know, or working for or in partnership with that don’t have a lane rental scheme-get one now. I am going to chase down local authorities that don’t have a lane rental plan in.”
In the Government’s recently launched Plan for Drivers, the document calls for consultation on local authorities using 50% of their lane rental income on filling potholes. The plan says: “We will reduce the amount of drivers’ time lost and the stress caused by roadworks by helping more local authorities establish lane rental schemes. We will make it easier and quicker for councils to set up schemes, ensuring more parts of the country can benefit.”
He also said a new data standard for assessing road condition will be developed to make it easier for councils to identifying, assessing and dealing with defects and potholes.
Mr Holden said: “Speaking of potholes, we will wage a war on them which is another reason for every local authority to get a lane rental scheme as soon as possible.”
He said the government would spend an additional £8.3 billion on road resurfacing on road resurfacing as well as a range of strategic road schemes. He also conformed £70 for traffic signals.
Mr Holden also said: “This hall is filled with the brightest and best in transport. We want to make journeys easier and safer for all. We have got to embrace the new technology and opportunities here today and above all we must listen to the road users and learn from our mistakes in the past.”
He said the news that the West Midlands was a preferred bidder for the ITS World Congress was ‘a huge validation for the West Midlands and its mayor and a huge opportunity for the UK’.
A Transport Adaptation Strategy will also be launched, he said.
