Record extra funding secured to repair local roads

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP

TUESDAY 2^nd DECEMBER 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alistair Strathern, Member of Parliament for the Hitchin constituency, has welcomed the Government’s record funding boost for road maintenance.

Central Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council combined have been allocated a minimum of £160m for maintenance over the next four years, reflecting record investment from the national Government in local road repairs.  It comes as part of national funding for maintenance has been significantly boosted for the rest of the Parliament to over £7bn, with annual spending doubling from £1bn to £2bn a year.

The Government is also turning up the pressure on CBC and Herts County Council to do better in delivering repairs effectively. By more than tripling the share of local roads funding that is tied to transparency – from 8% to over 30% of the budget, both will have to demonstrate how they are putting the money to good use in investing in local highways. They will only be able to unlock extra funding if they publish clear pothole and maintenance data and follow best practice.

Strathern has been successfully campaigning for investment in local roads, helping to secure an increase in funding for repairs this year, and action on local roads from Walsworth Road in Hitchin to Church Street in Clifton.

The announcement follows the Budget last week, which included a range of measures to address the cost of living, including freezing regulated rail fares for 12 months, keep prescription charges frozen at £9.90, and bringing forward a number of measures to reduce energy bills.

Alistair Strathern MP said:

“There is nothing more depressing, and often dangerous, than the state of some of our local roads.

“For far too long, we’ve simply tolerated this decline.

“Having campaigned for action since I was first elected, the doubling of funding for road repairs is welcome news for all of us in Herts and Central Bedfordshire.

“Our local authorities now have no excuse, we’ve given them the funding to deliver a step change in road improvements and I’ll be holding them to account in delivering it.”