The Government has challenged North West councils to show pothole progress or risk missing out on funding.

The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the Government will now require councils in the North West to prove progress or face losing cash. 

From mid-April, local authorities will start to receive their share of the Government’s record £1.6bn highway maintenance funding, including an extra £64m for the North West. 

But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from Monday, March 24, publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work.

Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25 percent of their pothole funding, which is £16m for the North West, withheld.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs.

“Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.

“Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.

“British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us.

“We’ve done our part and handed councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.”

Also on March 24, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8bn funding for 2025/26 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads. 

This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes, such as continuing works on the Mottram Moor Link Road and A57 Link Road, reducing congestion between Manchester and Sheffield, to get the North West moving.  

The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “After years of neglect, we’re unblocking the North West’s roads – fixing the plague of potholes, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.

“The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25 per cent of their £500m funding boost.

“Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.” 

It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96 percent of drivers. 

This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal by through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.

To ensure councils in the North West are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.

They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse.

By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where.

Caroline Julian, Brand and Engagement Director at British Cycling, and member of the Pothole Partnership, said; “Cycling is critical to tackling the nation’s economic, social and health inequalities, but the poor condition of our roads prevents thousands of people from choosing to take to the saddle.

“Potholes also pose a significant danger to anyone choosing to travel by bike, often leading to injuries – and at worst, fatalities.”

The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal. 

To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.  

The £4.8bn for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive for growth as part of Plan for Change.

The £4.8bn includes a record £1.3bn investment to keep this vital network in good repair, £1.8bn for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day.

As well as £1.3bn for essential improvement schemes so the network remains fit for the future. 

“Providing more opportunities for government to learn, adapt and grow the support they give local councils to repair and improve conditions on our roads is a positive move. We’re optimistic that this will help to bring about better, safer spaces – ultimately enabling more people to make active travel the default way to get around.”