Cambridgeshire and Peterborough set for share of £244 million boost to repair roads in the East of England

With the drive home for Christmas about to begin, thousands of people in the East of England will benefit from safer roads thanks to a record £244 million investment to fill potholes and repair roads, announced by the Government today.

In a Christmas boost for drivers, it comes as part of a record £1.6bn Government investment across England - an increase of nearly 50% on local road maintenance funding from last year - goes well beyond the Government’s manifesto pledge, and is enough to fix the equivalent of over seven million extra potholes in 2025/26.

Local authorities in the East of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, will each receive a share of the funding, as the Government looks to rebuild Britain as part of its Plan for Change.

Fixing our roads and filling potholes not only makes roads safer, but they also improve journey times and save drivers money from avoidable repairs.

It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales, and the cost of pothole damage to vehicles is around £500 on average, with more severe repairs costing considerably more. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers.

Road users in the East of England are also being encouraged to report potholes in their area to their local council through a dedicated gov.uk page.

The Government is today announcing how much each local authority is being allocated. Each local authority can use its share of the £1.6bn for 2025/6 to identify which of their roads are in most need of repair, to deliver immediate fixes for communities, and to raise living standards across every area of the country.

To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs. That’s a cost that can easily be avoided by investing properly in our roads.

“Through our Plan for Change we’re determined to put more money back into the pockets of hardworking people and improve living standards. That’s why we’re giving councils funding to repair our roads and get Britain moving again – with a clear expectation that they get on with the job.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Potholes have plagued motorists for far too long, but today’s record investment will start to reverse a decade of decline on our country’s roads.

“Millions will drive home for Christmas today, but too many will have to endure an obstacle course to reach their loved ones. Potholes damage cars, and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe. We are investing £1.6bn to fix up to seven million more potholes next year.

“This government is firmly on the side of drivers. Every area of England will get extra cash to tackle this problem once and for all. We have gone beyond our manifesto commitment to back motorists and help raise living standards in every part of the country.”

The Government is also making sure authorities spend the money wisely, collect the right data, and deliver proactive maintenance before potholes start to form. The funding has built-in incentives, with 25% of this uplift held back until authorities have shown that they are delivering.

Today, the government is also announcing that at least 50% of surplus lane rental funds will be reinvested into highways maintenance, so that even more roads can be improved. Lane rental schemes allow local highway authorities to charge companies for the time that street and road works occupy the road.

Additionally, the Department is also consulting on devolving powers to approve lane rental schemes, which are currently with the Secretary of State, to local Mayors. This will support the delivery of more lane rental schemes and put power back into local hands.

On top of this funding, the Transport Secretary is announcing a clampdown on disruptive street works, doubling Fixed Penalty Notices for utility companies who fail to comply with rules and extending charges for street works that run into the weekend.