Road funding plea ahead of Reeves' Budget

Mark Deaville said he sought clarification on highways funding

Highways chiefs in Staffordshire have called ahead of Wednesday's Budget for clarity on next year's highways funding for councils.

Mark Deaville, cabinet member for strategic highways on Staffordshire County Council, called for chancellor Rachel Reeves to clarify the state of Network North funding to county councils.

He said last winter's wet weather "really took a toll on our roads" and the Conservative authority had invested an additional £8m into fixing defects. He said clarity would mean the council could plan ahead for next year.

Reeves, who will deliver Labour's first Budget for 14 years this week, has warned her plans will involve "difficult decisions".

Mr Deaville said: "The way the weather has been at the moment indicates that the coming winter will be just as bad as the last, so additional funding from government to keep our roads in a decent state of repair is absolutely essential."

He also said he sought information on Network North - the multi-billion-pound package of transport improvements announced by the previous government in the wake of the decision to axe the northern leg of high-speed railway project, HS2.

"This funding is absolutely essential for us to conduct more repairs and structural schemes, and will allow us to plan our road maintenance and upgrades for the next few years," Mr Deaville stated.

He added the Budget offered a "tremendous opportunity" to invest in highway infrastructure, which would help the council address not only flooding issues but undertake major schemes such as resurfacing and bridge repair.