The government has announced a multi-million-pound initiative to improve roads across England, in a bid to cut congestion and emissions. Quadrant Transport looks at this initiative in detail to find out how the funding will be spent.
Councils across the country will receive a share of £15 million to upgrade traffic signals, fix potholes, reduce congestion to overall boost safety and reduce emissions.
The multimillion-pound scheme is also part of a government commitment to explore new technology, such as drones and 3D printing, to fix potholes and speed up the work of road improvements across the country.
In addition to the initial announcement, the government have also published findings from a new initiative called the Digital Intelligence Brokerage (DIB). This focuses on a sustainable approach to potholes, encouraging work with independent businesses outside of the transport sector to speed up research and new proposals into fixing potholes.
The DIB has already made significant progress in sustainably upgrading roads.
The research by the DIB has already allowed for improvements, such as the use of bio-bitumen materials to create environmentally friendly road surfaces, and automated repair operations to minimise the risk to road maintenance workers.
RAC Head of Roads Policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Additional investment to cut congestion and make pothole repairs better for the future is very welcome.”
Improving traffic lights can make a significant difference to local roads by efficiently maximising the number of vehicles that can safely pass through junctions while hitting a pothole can be an expensive and even a dangerous experience
“We look forward to seeing how drivers and road users more widely can benefit from the use of 21st-century technology to repair their local roads more quickly.”
The government is continuing to level up the country’s transport network and build back better from the pandemic.
The £15 million government initiative will not only encourage councils to improve existing traffic signals, but also encourage them to consider how to future-proof their local road networks and prepare for technological innovations.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Whether you’re a motorist, cyclist or pedestrian, every road-user across our country deserves the best possible journey. That’s why, despite already having some of the best and safest roads in the world, this government is providing millions of pounds to improve them further still.”
“This vital funding and work will cut journey times for millions of people, reduce emissions and keep the UK at the forefront of technological developments in roads maintenance as we continue to invest in local economies and build back both better and greener from the pandemic.”