Cornwall is getting over £12.5 million to help fix potholes
But the Duchy is currently facing a £270m backlog in road repairs and maintenance
Cornwall is getting over £12.5 million to help fix potholes.
The government funding has been announced just weeks after Cornwall Council called for more support.
Over £500,000,000 has been allocated to local authorities across the country, with the Duchy being given £12,589,000.
But it has been revealed that Cornwall is currently facing a £270 million backlog in road repairs and maintenance across our 7,300km highway network.
The latest figures show highways crews fixed over 22,500 potholes across the Duchy in 2020, that works out to around 62 a day.
Council investment will see an extra £20m spent on our roads by the end of this year – so far this funding has seen more than 500 roads resurfaced, improving safety and preventing an estimated 2,400 potholes from forming in the first place.
Cornwall Council has been highlighting the need for better funding at national level.
“We all rely on our highway network and road maintenance is a topic that regularly features in our residents’ surveys.
“Making the best use of our resources and targeting funding to where it is most needed has meant Cornwall’s main A and B roads continue to rank among the top 25% in the country.
“But more investment is needed – particularly on minor roads in towns and on our rural network – to carry out work to prevent potholes forming in the first place.”
Councillor Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport
Heavy rainfall at the end of 2020 saw crews deal with more than 300 reports of potholes and flooding across Cornwall during the 11 days between Christmas Eve and January 3rd.
Teams from Cormac responded swiftly to reports of damaged roads, repairing more than 249 potholes and damaged road surfaces, as well as clearing debris from gullies and drains to alleviate flooding which affected many main routes connecting communities.
You can report highway defects online and track the progress of the action being taken here.