Pothole crackdown as councils that fail to fix UK’s crumbling roads will be stripped of MILLIONS in funding

COUNCILS that fail to fix potholes will be stripped of millions in funding under a government crackdown.

Sir Keir Starmer will today unveil a record £1.6billion fund to fix crumbling roads — but only the best-performing town halls will get the full whack.

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Those who cannot prove they are filling potholes fast enough will lose out, with up to £125million being handed to rivals who can.

The PM said: “We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash — now it’s up to them to get on with the job and prove they’re delivering for their communities.”

From mid-April, councils will start receiving their share of the £1.6 billion funding, including an £500m uplift, which is enough to fix the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year.

But to keep the full amount, local authorities will have to publish annual progress reports showing exactly how many potholes they’ve filled, how much they’ve spent, and what improvements have been made.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “My message to local leaders is simple: fill it, prove it, or lose it.”

Drivers face an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales – with pothole damage to cars costing an average of £600 to fix, according to the RAC.

The funding also forms part of a wider £4.8bn investment in major road schemes, designed to unlock new jobs and drive economic growth.

AA President Edmund King welcomed the Government’s announcement, saying: “Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction.

“It will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes.”

A recent report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance found Britain’s pothole-plagued roads would take 12 years and £16.81 billion to fix.