Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Road Resurfacing

Thursday 14 December 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government providing 8.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next decade.
  • Utility companies have legal duties to ensure their works meet required standards.
  • Local councils will review Pothole Pro and other technologies for effective use of funding.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Eddie Hughes Con
Transport
Context

The MP inquired about the Department's funding for road resurfacing.

Question

What funding is his Department providing for road resurfacing?

Answer from Mark Harper

The Government are providing a record funding increase of £8.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next decade, which will enable local highway authorities to resurface roads up and down the country.

Answered
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Q2 Marco Longhi
Transport Local Government Environment
Context

The MP praised the additional government funding for road resurfacing and highlighted the good work of Dudley Council's highways department. He requested a visit to Dudley and tighter contracting frameworks.

Question

Will the Secretary of State agree to visit Dudley, and would he support tighter contracting frameworks by local authorities so that utility companies are made to pay for all consequences of their substandard work?

Answer from Mark Harper

Utility companies already have legal duties to ensure that their works and reinstatements are to required standards. Earlier this year, we introduced a new performance-based street works regime to crack down on the worst performing companies leaving behind poor road surface repairs that can lead to more potholes. Those with higher failure rates are now inspected more often and are charged for it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Visit to Dudley was not addressed

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Q3 Eddie Hughes Con
Transport
Context

The MP highlighted the Pothole Pro, a machine developed by JCB that can repair potholes efficiently. He inquired if this sort of technology should be rolled out across the country.

Question

Should the innovative Pothole Pro technology be rolled out across the country to spend more money effectively?

Answer from Mark Harper

Local councils will look carefully at the Pothole Pro and other technologies that can help us make the best use of that record investment in road improvements.

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Q4 Barry Sheerman Lab
Transport
Context

The MP expressed concern about the increasing number of road accidents killing young people in recent years. He questioned if the Secretary of State would do something about it.

Question

Is he aware that over the last 13 years, from being one of the safest places in the world in terms of road safety and deaths on the roads, we are steadily becoming very bad indeed? Will he do something about that?

Answer from Mark Harper

I share the hon. Gentleman's concern about the deaths of anyone on the roads, but particularly of young people. The Department spends a great deal of resource on campaigns to get people to drive more safely, and we do that when we are engineering and delivering new roads.

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