There are too many potholes and fraying road edges around the area. I have been pressing the government for more cash to help our Councils repair and maintain the roads to a good standard. A stitch in time can also save nine, sparing us higher cost and more delay for bigger repairs later.
Yesterday I was notified that West Berkshire will receive a total of £5 million for 2017-18 and Wokingham £3.1 million. The bulk comes from the regular maintenance budget, but there are additions from the recently established pothole fund and some from the new National Investment Productivity fund. I have urged along with other MPs that these new funds for economic improvement should allow some spending on roads as part of the package.
I look forward to seeing the results as the Councils work out the best way of spending it.
(W Berks £3.836m road maintenance, £336,000 pothole fund, £833,000 National Infrastructure Fund equals £5m; Wokingham £2.6m road maintenance, £203,000 potholes, £537,000 National Infrastructure)
January 14, 2017
Let us hope they spend it wisely and do actually repair the roads, rather than wasting it on surface spraying coloured tarmac mix all over the roads at rather obvious traffic lights, junctions and cycle lanes, the coating which then peels off after 18 months and causes a greater hazard than the original.
Surely they have enough history now on the A329 Reading Road and elsewhere, to know that this idea is daft waste of money.