Surrey and East Hampshire set to receive part of £734 million funding to repair roads.
£8.3 billion has been pledged to fix potholes and improve roads across England
Surrey and East Hampshire are set to receive a share of £734 million in funding for the South East, to fix potholes and improve roads.
£8.3 billion has been pledged in a national long-term plan by Transport Secretary Mark Harper, which is enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next 11 years.
Across the South East, local highway authorities will receive £23.4 million this financial year, followed by a further £23.4 million for 2024/2025, with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.
"It's enough money to resurface over 5000 miles of roads."
The money has been freed up by the cancellation of HS2.
Throughout the country, £3.3 billion has been allocated for local authorities in the North West, North East and Yorkshire & Humber, £2.2 billion for local authorities in the West Midlands and East Midlands and £2.8 billion for local authorities in the South East, put together with the South West and, for the first time in 8 years, London.
Earlier this week, Mr Harper visited West Horsley and watched staff at work, filling in potholes and resurfacing a road.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio whilst visiting a site in Surrey, Transport Secretary Mark Harper said "What we're announcing is a really significant uplift in the amount of money that's available for local authorities across the country, so they can put more money into not just fixing potholes, but actually improving the road surface, it's the top priority for 96% of drivers according to the AA."
He also said that drivers are likely to see improvements soon.
"There's money that's actually going to go to local authorities this year and next, so drivers will see improvements straight away.
"If you threw loads of money at local authorities in a short space of time, they wouldn't have the ability to spend it sensibly. Part of this is about giving them confidence over the long term. It's enough money to resurface over 5000 miles of roads."
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said:
"We hope local authorities will use the money in the most effective way possible by resurfacing the very worst roads, keeping those in reasonable condition in better states for longer through surface dressing, and filling potholes as permanently as possible wherever necessary.
"This should in time go a considerable way to bringing our roads back to a fit-for-purpose state and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in the process from not having to fork out for frustrating repairs to their vehicles."
Edmund King OBE, AA president, said:
“Perilous roads blighted by potholes are the number one concern for drivers and a major issue for bikers, cyclists and pedestrians. So far this year The AA has attended more than 450,000 pothole related breakdowns. The damage caused can be a huge financial burden for drivers but is also a major safety risk for those on two wheels.
“The £8.3 billion plan can make a considerable difference in bringing our roads back to the standards which road users expect, especially if councils use the cash efficiently to resurface our streets. As well as safer roads, eliminating potholes gives confidence to people wanting to cycle and instils pride of place within local communities.”