UK releases £220m to councils as road resurfacing reaches nearly 7,000 miles
The UK government is releasing another £220 million to English councils after new figures showed nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing this year, over 10% more than last year.
- Nearly 7,000 miles
- £220 million
- £4.9 billion
- £7.3 billion
What Happened
New figures published on 21 October 2026 show nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing will be completed this year, the equivalent of travelling between London and Singapore. That is over 10% more resurfacing than last year, according to reports submitted by local councils. Councils are spending £4.9 billion on roads this year, £800 million more than before the government came to power. The government says its £7.3 billion road maintenance funding is starting to deliver better roads and help the average driver save up to nearly £600 on repairs.
The government publishes new local highways maintenance transparency reports and releases a further £220 million to councils across England.
Local road conditions improved, with fewer minor roads needing maintenance as a result of works last year.
Additional figures are released showing the improvement in local road conditions.
Following the data, the government unlocked £220 million in incentive-based funding for councils across England for meeting performance-based targets. Further funding will be released later in the year only if councils reach their targets, and it can be withheld if they fail, as part of efforts to hold councils to account. The reports show 94% of councils will complete preventative roadworks this year, up from 76% last year, so the same part of road is not patched repeatedly. The government also cited its recent measures to tackle antisocial behaviour on transport, including £100 fines on buses and a crackdown on loud music on trains.
- 94% of councils will complete preventative roadworks
- 76% of councils did this work
“For too long potholes have been a source of national embarrassment, forcing hard-working people to fork out for repairs and posing a danger to all road users. But today’s figures show that we are starting to turn a corner. While we know there is much more to do, our record funding, combined with tough new rules holding councils to account, mean that drivers are making smoother journeys while giving people roads they can rely on.”
“Kwik Fit teams across the country have been repairing damage from potholes all too often, with tyres, wheels and suspension components most frequently suffering from the impact. Potholes not only cause costly damage, they can also present a significant risk to road safety. We welcome this increased investment, especially the additional focus on proactive maintenance as this helps prevent potholes before they become a danger to road users, or a drain on drivers’ wallets.”
“This data is encouraging. It’s good to see so many miles of road being resurfaced, but it’s also positive that the preventative maintenance message has got through as we’ve long argued that councils need to take steps to stop potholes appearing in the first place, and not just patch them up. Surface dressing, if done properly, is a very cost effective way of improving more roads for the long term. The proof, of course, will be in whether drivers and other road users notice the difference. Getting the country’s roads up to a decent standard, and keeping them there, isn’t an overnight job. But at least we’re now on the right track.”
Why this matters
Potholes affect daily journeys, and the government says drivers can save up to nearly £600 on repairs; the figures show councils spending £4.9 billion this year and resurfacing more roads. The new £220 million is tied to performance targets and can be withheld if councils miss them, affecting drivers and local authorities across England.
Terms in This Story
- pothole
- A hollow or depression in a road surface caused by wear or water damage.
- resurfacing
- Replacing or restoring the top layer of a road.
- preventative roadworks
- Maintenance carried out to stop damage such as potholes forming, rather than repairing it after it appears.
- surface dressing
- A road maintenance technique that seals the surface with a binder and aggregate.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.