Roads across West Midlands and Shropshire to get new £61m repairs funding boost

It comes as part of a record £1.6bn government investment across England - an increase of nearly 50 per cent on road maintenance funding from last year.

The West Midlands will receive over £52m worth of funding for the years 2025-26 to add to the already allocated £119m whilst Shropshire will be allocated a £9m boost towards the already allocated £24.5m, bringing a combined total of over £205m.

It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales, and the cost of pothole damage to vehicles is around £500 on average, with more severe repairs costing considerably more. 

According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96 per cent of drivers, and road users in the West Midlands are also being encouraged to report potholes in their area to their local council through a dedicated Gov.uk page.   

 Each local authority can use its share of the total £1.6bn pot for 2025/6 to identify which of their roads are in most need of repair, and to deliver immediate fixes for communities and raise living standards across every area of the country.  

 Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:  “Potholes have plagued motorists for far too long, but the record investment we have announced will start to reverse a decade of decline on our country’s roads.

“Millions will drive home for Christmas this weekend, but too many will have to endure an obstacle course to reach their loved ones. Potholes damage cars, and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe. 

"We are investing £1.6bn to fix up to seven million more potholes next year.  

“This government is firmly on the side of drivers. Every area of England will get extra cash to tackle this problem once and for all. We have gone beyond our manifesto commitment to back motorists and help raise living standards in every part of the country.” 

Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands, said: “A lack of funding has left our region’s roads in an embarrassing state - cratered with dangerously deep potholes and leaving road users to pay the price for broken promises. 

 “Securing this extra government funding directly to our local councils means they’ll finally have the funding to be able to deal with the problem - fixing more roads and pavements to make journeys better.” 

AA president Edmund King said: “Drivers and riders across England will be pleased to see this significant cash injection into smoothing out the local road network. 

“We urge councils to focus on permanent and innovative repairs rather than adopting a ‘patch and run’ approach. Better maintenance of the road network is the number one concern of drivers as damage costs a fortune and potholes can be fatal for those on two wheels.   

 “Clamping down on poor works carried out by utilities companies and overrunning roadworks is sorely needed, and we are pleased to see action being taken here. Widening lane rental approval to local mayors should reduce red tape, and we hope it means more roads can be opened in first class condition.”