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Government invest more than £13 million into Kent's roads

Kent will receive more than £13 million to make much needed improvements to the county's roads.

The Department for Transport has announced where the £420 million dedicated to the problem in last month's Budget will be allocated.

Just over £66 million is being given to the south east with Kent awarded £12 million and Medway set to get £1.1 million.

Next year a further £167 million from the Local Highways Maintenance and Integrated Transport Block funds will go towards repairing roads and investing in small safety, bus priority or walking and cycling schemes.

Roads Minister Jesse Noman said: “Potholes are a huge problem for all road users and too often we see issues occurring at the same place time after time.

“That is why the Government is investing more in improving our roads than at any time before - £15 billion between 2015 and 2020 and a further £28.8 billion to 2025.

Potholes appearing on roads around Medway after wet weather in the beginning of the year. Picture: Andy Payton
Potholes appearing on roads around Medway after wet weather in the beginning of the year. Picture: Andy Payton

"Plus an immediate extra £420 million for potholes and local road maintenance just this year.

“The South East will be getting an extra £66 million this winter to keep its roads in good condition to keep drivers and cyclists safe.”

Since 2015, roads in the south east have benefited from £538 million for highways maintenance.

The money will mean road improvements in the county
The money will mean road improvements in the county

The extreme weather that hit the county at the start of the year caused problems for Kent's road, leading to one driver warning others 'I'm not drunk! I'm in Kent so I'm avoiding potholes'.

In July, KentOnline reported that one in seven motorcyclists suffer injury or damage to bike due to potholes on the roads.

Cllr Phil Filmer, cabinet member for Front Line Services which covers highways, said: “We welcome the news that Medway will receive an additional £1.1million worth of funding to help improve the condition of our roads. Last winter’s severe weather, particularly following Beast from the East, had a huge impact on the condition of roads in Medway and across the country.

“We already have a dedicated highways team in Medway, which works throughout the year to repair potholes and deliver planned resurfacing works for roads and pavements each year - between April and October we repaired 2,684 carriageway defects, including potholes. We budget approximately £14million each year to cover all of the costs to maintain Medway’s roads.

“The additional funding will help us continue to maintain the 519 miles of roads in Medway. It will also enhance our resurfacing works across our five towns and help us provide a sustainable infrastructure for Medway’s growing population. We are committed to continuously improving the condition of our roads to improve traffic flow and keep Medway moving.”

Kent County Council and Medway Council have been contacted for comment on the funding.

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