New budget proposes £35m more for Telford and Wrekin’s roads

The cash will be set aside for roads, pavements, cycle paths and other transport and highways projects.

In 2020, the council made a commitment to investing more than £50m between then and 2024 to improve and maintain roads and footpaths.

This commitment to the borough’s roads was recognised when Telford and Wrekin was voted as the best in the Midlands for highways and transport services, in the National Highways and Transport Network 2021.

Councillor Rae Evans, cabinet member for finance, governance and customer service, said: “In 2020 we made a four year commitment to protect, care and invest to create a better borough, despite a record 21 per cent cut in funding from government to maintain roads.

“Over the next two years we will continue this commitment by investing a further £35 million, which will include resurfacing of roads and footpaths to improve our highways and transport network and keep the borough well connected.

Councillor Lee Carter, cabinet member for neighbourhood services, regeneration and the high street, said: “Our vision to create a better borough includes investment for the future to keep Telford moving. As part of these budget proposals we’ll be improving roads, roundabouts and junctions to reduce or avoid congestion that will be caused by more vehicles using our roads as the borough grows, as well as further improving safety on our roads and footpaths.

“We know that residents value this investment in our local transport networks, that’s why they voted us the best council in the Midlands for overall satisfaction with highways and transport services and joint second in the country earlier this year.”

The budget proposals for the next two years include £15m to repair roads and footpaths, £2m to repair structures, £1.5m to improve drainage, £3m to improve sustainable transport and road safety and over £1.1m to create further new parking spaces in residential areas across the borough.

This will bring the total investment in highways by Telford & Wrekin Council in the past 10 years to over £140m.