Councils in north-west London have welcomed the Government’s decision to provide extra funding for pothole repair but do not yet know what it will be used for.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling announced last week that £201 million will be devoted to road repairs across England.
Of this, £50 million will be shared out across local authorities to combat flood damage and potholes, while the remainder will be awarded to councils that showcase best practice.
A spokesperson for Brent Council said: “We welcome this news. However, we are awaiting further detail from the Department for Transport about the criteria and formula to be used to allocate this additional funding.”
Neighbouring Harrow Council is in a similar position, pointing out that it cannot yet assign the money to specific projects.
A spokesperson for the council added that it will always “put funding to good use” and that it will continue to respond to any reports of damage quickly and efficiently.
In addition to this move, Mr Grayling explained that the Department for Transport will fund early stage research into new surface materials or pothole repair techniques, such as 3D printing.
He said: “Every motorist knows that potholes have been a problem in the last few years.
“That is why the Government is continuing to step up its funding to local authorities to address this.
“It is now up to highways authorities to innovate and use new technologies to solve the problem.”
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