WIREDGOV

Cllr Peter Box, the LGA's Transport Spokesman responded to LV Insurance's report on pothole compensation claims, 

"Despite spiralling multi-million pound compensation costs and funding cuts, councils still fixed two million potholes last year. But we need long-term funding to tackle the ever-growing £12 billion roads repair backlog facing the nation.

"Last year's floods caused widespread destruction on our roads leaving people to drive on crumbling highways that are increasingly unfit for the 21st century. We share the frustration of motorists and our fear is that another harsh winter could be the tipping point for our roads.

"Tackling this crisis must be a national priority. That is why we are calling for the Government to inject a further £1 billion a year into roads maintenance by investing the equivalent of just two pence per litre of existing fuel duty. Our recent national polling found 83 per cent of the public back this plan."

Notes to editors

1. Public polling carried out by Populus for the LGA found:

• 83 per cent of people surveyed back plans for existing fuel duty to be reinvested in roads maintenance.
• Regionally, this rises to 90 per cent in Eastern England, 88 per cent in Wales and 85 per cent in Yorkshire and Humberside.
• One in five respondents said they would be more likely to vote for a party which committed extra money to fixing our roads in next year's General Election. 

2. Fuel duty is currently 57.95 pence per litre – where it has been since March 2011. Fuel duty revenue contributes more than £33 billion each year to the Treasury. Between 2015 and 2021 the Government is spending £11.8 billion on maintaining and improving our roads.

Greg Burns, Senior Media Relations Officer

Local Government Association
Telephone: 020 7664 3184
Email: greg.burns@local.gov.uk
Media Office (for out-of-hours contact): 020 7664 3333
Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ

www.local.gov.uk