Council secures cash boost for road repairs

Cheshire East Council has received the maximum capital funding allocation from central government for highway repairs and flood resilience across the borough

An allocation of £533,171 has been awarded – earlier than expected – which will enable the council to increase its capital investment programme for road improvements for the 2019-20 financial year.

The money is allocated from the £50m pothole and flood resilience action fund, distributed by the Department for Transport, to highways authorities throughout the country.

The funding will also enable the council to address further issues relating to flooding of highways and footways.

Frank Jordan, Cheshire East Council executive director of place, said: “This funding is to be welcomed at a time when the spring and summer seasons present the most suitable conditions for our highways service to carry out road surface repairs.

“The council’s focus will be on structural maintenance and preventative treatments.  This will enable us to do more permanent resurfacing work where that scale of work is most needed.

“Following this funding allocation, our programme of highways works for 2019-20 will now be updated and full details will be published on the council’s website.”

The council is responsible for 2,700 kilometres of highway and has a continuous programme of maintenance with a £15m capital budget for 2019-20, to include improvements to carriageways, footways, bridges, structures, street lighting, safety barriers and road signs.