DfT now moots cutting highways capital funding from poorer performing councils

The DfT has suggested reducing capital funding for highway maintenance for local authorities not using asset management or efficiency principles to make best use of available funding.

The proposal, following calls from MPs for sanctions on councils not looking after roads, could see 10% of the £5.8bn capital funding from 2015 to 2021 taken out of the general allocation and given only to those councils that have implemented asset management. A consultation says a further 10% could be given to only those authorities that making use of "highways maintenance efficiency principles, such as those developed by the Highway Maintenance Efficiency Programme".

A third idea would be to allocate up to £1.2bn of the £5.8bn pot for major maintenance schemes, which local authorities would competitively bid for. The DfT also wants to know whether or not cycleways and footways should be eligible to be funded through this new 'challenge fund'.

HMEP is seek views on the proposals at consultation events over the next few weeks. Discuss this at Future Highways 2014.