Funding for road maintenance is among the items announced today in the UK Government’s Spending Review.
The full review documents, published online, detail £24 billion of capital funding between 2026‑27 and 2029‑30 to “maintain and improve” motorways and local roads.
It is stated: “This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys.”
Other measures included in the review include £1.4 billion to “support continued uptake of electric vehicles”, and £400 million for “the further rollout of EV charging infrastructure”.
Reacting to the Spending Review, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Giving councils the certainty of longer-term funding to fix their roads is something we’ve called for many years, so this is excellent news.
“Local authorities now have a golden opportunity to end the cycle of merely filling potholes and instead begin to be much more proactive in their maintenance. This must include both more surface dressing to keep decent roads in good condition and resurfacing those that are at the end of their lives.
“It’s incumbent on councils to grasp this new opportunity and show all road users how it’s making a genuine difference in the quality of the roads they use every day.”
BVRLA chief executive Toby Poston said: “The government is clearly committed to its road transport decarbonisation targets and giving serious thought to how it achieves them.
“The mandate flexibilities announced in April relieved the pressure on EV supply, today’s cash commitment could give a much-needed boost to demand.
“This £1.4 billion could make a big difference in driving stronger and wider demand for vans, trucks and used electric vehicles. We will continue to work with colleagues at OZEV to highlight how this money can achieve the best return on investment.”
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) chief executive Mike Hawes said: “The automotive industry recognises the pressure on the public purse and the need to divert funding to defence and growth. Automotive can deliver that growth but it depends on both competitive conditions and consumer confidence.
“Some support for EVs has been made available, but more substantive measures to incentivise private consumer demand are still needed if world leading targets are to be met.
“Government has already made great efforts to support a critical industry facing significant geopolitical challenges but without market-making interventions, that world-leading pace of transition may need to be reviewed.”
