31 Oct 2018
The Scottish Conservatives are urging the SNP to spend the extra roads cash they will receive from the UK Budget, this financial year, purely on fixing potholes.
The Barnett consequentials from the recent UK Budget include £41m for local roads maintenance this financial year.
The Scottish Conservatives are therefore asking that the SNP spends the additional money, in its entirety, to improve the dreadful state of Scotland’s roads.
The Scottish Conservatives have previously called for a ‘Pothole Fund’ that Scottish local authorities could bid for and use the cash to repair potholes across the country.
Indeed, recent statistics suggest that more than a quarter of the country’s roads are in an unsatisfactory state.
Local authorities have paid out over £2million in pothole compensation claims to motorists over the last ten years, while maintenance funding for roads has been reduced by 20 per cent since 2011.
Jamie Greene, Scottish Conservative Transport Spokesman said:
“The SNP has failed to maintain our roads, complaining instead that they have not received enough money to do so.
“This additional money means the SNP has absolutely no excuses any more, this extra money is available now.
“Well maintained roads are essential for everyone and the current state of our roads is disgraceful.
“The SNP’s failure to maintain our roads properly is endangering public safety and slowing our economy.
“The SNP must now use this extra money from the UK Budget now, and enable local authorities to improve the roads, through the Pothole Fund, this year.”
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