Rachel Hopkins MP welcomes £12.5 million to fix pothole plague in Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Rachel Hopkins MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Luton South and South Bedfordshire, has welcomed the Government’s plans for safer roads.
This comes in the form of up to £12.5 million funding boost to repair roads and fix potholes across Luton South and South Bedfordshire.
Luton Council has been awarded £2.8m, whilst Central Bedfordshire Council has been awarded £9.6m, as part of a record national £1.6 billion investment to repair road networks in England.
The landmark investment – an increase of nearly 50% on local road maintenance funding from last year– is enough to fix the equivalent of over seven million extra potholes nationally in 2025/26.
Across England, local highways authorities will receive a 40% uplift in funding on average as the Government looks to rebuild Britain as part of its Plan for Change.
The public is also being encouraged to report potholes in their local area through a dedicated Gov.uk page: https://www.gov.uk/report-pothole
To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, Labour froze fuel duty at current levels for another year at the last budget, saving the average car driver £59.
Rachel Hopkins MP, said: “I am pleased that this Labour Government is taking swift action to fix our roads. Drivers have been plagued by potholes for too long, with underinvestment in our roads meaning pothole damage cost drivers almost £500 million under the Tories.”
”I spoke to constituents about the impact this funding will have for drivers in Luton South and South Bedfordshire, making roads safer, saving drivers money, and allowing for quicker journeys. This Labour government is ensuring we focus on growth and investment as part of our Plan for Change, to deliver for people across the country”.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Potholes have plagued motorists for far too long, but this record investment will start to reverse a decade of decline on our country’s roads.
“Too many drivers have to endure an obstacle course when on the roads – whether that’s to go to work, pick up children from school, or see friends. 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.”