Devon Secures More Pothole Repair Funding Than English Average
Devon has received more funding for pothole repairs compared to the English average, highlighting the region’s road maintenance needs
Devon, Potholes, Road Maintenance, England, Government Funding
Devon: It turns out Devon is getting more cash for fixing potholes than most places in England. A recent study showed that the area received £1,181.01 for every mile of road, which is a bit more than the average of £1,163.80.
This research came out just before National Pothole Day, a day meant to shine a light on the state of our roads and how they affect everyone from cyclists to drivers. It’s a big deal because potholes can really mess up your ride.
The folks at claims.co.uk dug into the numbers from the Department for Transport. They looked at how much extra funding local councils got for pothole repairs and compared it to the length of roads they manage. Pretty smart, right?
Interestingly, Brighton and Hove topped the list with the highest budget per mile at £1,547.46, while Blackpool was at the bottom with just £961.44. It seems like potholes are a bigger headache in the South East, where many councils are getting more help.
On the flip side, the North East seems to have fewer pothole issues, as many councils there received less funding. It’s a bit of a mixed bag across the country.
In other news, the RAC reported a spike in breakdowns due to potholes, with a 15% increase in the last quarter of the year. They helped thousands of drivers dealing with issues like damaged shock absorbers and broken suspension springs, all thanks to those pesky potholes.
With the recent bad weather, the RAC is worried that things might get worse in 2025. They’re urging local authorities to step up and fix the roads before the damage gets even worse.
Lilian Greenwood, the roads minister, mentioned that the Government is putting in £1.6 billion this year to tackle up to 7 million potholes across England. They want to make our journeys safer and smoother, which sounds good to me!
So, it looks like Devon is in a better spot when it comes to pothole funding, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to keep our roads in shape.