THE Government has been criticised after funding to fix potholes and maintain roads in West Yorkshire has been slashed by 22 per cent. West Yorkshire Combined Authority has said its transport maintenance funding for 2021/22 has been reduced by £10.2 million, from £46.7m in 2020/21 to £36.5m. It said the “disappointing” 21.8 per cent decrease will have a big impact on local communities, making it harder to carry out road maintenance, which is desperately needed on vast stretches of Bradford’s roads. The Government announced £500m for highways maintenance earlier this week as part of its five-year £2.5bn Potholes Fund, with Transport Minister Baroness Vere saying it would allow “potholes that blight road users to be dealt with promptly”.
The £500m is part of the £2.5bn Potholes Fund to be spent from 2020 to 2025
South West will receive just over £90million - more than any other region
North East to be allocated the least, with £28.5million a third of what s been given to councils in the South West
The AA welcomed the news on allocations but said local roads need resurfacing
However, it said research shows local roads are resurfaced once every 119 years
KEIGHLEY and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore has welcomed Leeds Bradford Airport now being able to apply for a Government grant worth up to £8 million. The Airport and Ground Operators Support Scheme, which opened on Friday, January 29, will help Leeds Bradford Airport, and other commercial airports across England to cover losses on costs caused by the covid-19 pandemic, including airfield operations, contracted services such as airfield and runway maintenance, and business rate bills. Airports and ground handlers can apply to the scheme on GOV.UK, and if successful, should receive their funding by the end of the financial year. The financial support scheme, which follows the Government’s extension of the Job Retention Scheme, is open for applications until February 21, 2021.
Grant Shapps has demanded a local council cough-up £64million to help repair closed Hammersmith Bridge and end years of motoring misery for drivers, according to reports.
The Transport Secretary reportedly wants Hammersmith and Fulham Council to cover almost half the costs of the repairs to the 133-year-old west London bridge - which was suddenly closed in August this year after cracks were discovered in the structure.
The shut-down, which followed a closure to vehicles in April 2019, has caused major disruption to traffic in the area, with 16,000 people and 22,000 vehicles a day using the bridge to cross the River Thames.
Experts believe the repairs will not be finished until 2027, sparking a row between local and Government transport chiefs - who want it open sooner.