Councils urge government to spend fuel and motoring tax income on improving local roads

Over £400 million extra each year could be spent by councils on improving local roads if government funding equated to rising income in fuel and motoring taxes, the Local Government Association (LGA) says.

Council leaders are calling for the government to carry out a new strategy to provide a fully-funded plan for the increasing number of vehicles on the UK’s roads, which has risen by 30 per cent since 2000.

Nearly eight and a half million more vehicles are now on the road, contributing to congestion and road maintenance issues such as potholes.

New LGA analysis demonstrates that if the government matched the increase in fuel and motoring tax income generated in the last 10 years, town halls would have an extra £418 million a year to spend on local roads.

This would help reduce congestion, improve air quality and contribute towards tackling the country’s £12 billion road repairs backlog.

The call comes as the LGA sets out the impact of the nation’s ‘congestion crunch’ on local roads which includes limited road space, travel speeds being down, and the maintenance and repair of roads being a serious challenge that councils are facing.

Ahead of the Autumn Budget in November, the LGA is also calling for the government to fully fund the statutory concessionary bus fares scheme which councils have been forced to subsidise by at least £200 million a year due to underfunding.

LGA said councils also need to be given control over the Bus Service Operators’ Grant, as it would enable councils to protect vital bus routes and give them the funding they need to provide an efficient and successful bus service.

Martin Tett, LGA Transport spokesman, said: “The vast majority of journeys start or end on a local road – the impact of almost 30 per cent more vehicles cannot be over-stated. Congestion, wear and tear of our roads, and air quality are all affected.

“With eight-and-a-half million more vehicles on our roads since 2000, it’s no wonder our local roads are facing a growing congestion crunch and it would now take £12 billion and a decade to clear the nation’s road repair backlog.

“Councils are doing all they can to provide their communities with the transport services they need, to manage and ensure that roads are free-flowing as possible.

“The government needs to develop a fully funded plan to help councils deliver the desperately-needed local road improvements we need. This should include matching the extra growth in tax take with the funding it provides councils.

“This would see councils given an extra £400 million a year to spend on filling potholes, easing congestion and protect vital bus routes. Only with long-term funding can councils deliver roads truly fit for the 21st century.”