New highways chief shocked by government funding gap
Gloucestershire’s new highways chief – Cllr Mark Harris has warned there is a major gap between the funding needed to maintain local roads and what is currently provided by government.
In his latest video on social media Cllr Harris said that while residents often notice the condition of roads, the bigger issue is what sits behind it.
“If you think the potholes are big… you should see the black hole in road funding.”
Gloucestershire County Council estimates it needs around £52 million a year to maintain roads to the standard residents expect including the maintenance of bridges, street lights, traffic lights as well as drainage, roads and pavements. Current government funding is around £36.5 million a year, leaving a gap of approximately £15.5 million annually.
The council says this shortfall makes it increasingly difficult to keep up with demand and prevent roads from deteriorating.
Despite this, highways teams are working daily across the county to prioritise the most urgent repairs and keep the network safe.
Cllr Harris, cabinet member for highways continued “The bit people don’t always see is the work happening every day. Teams are out fixing the most urgent problems, stretching every pound, and finding new ways of working to stop roads getting worse.”
The county council has also identified additional investment to boost repairs. Through savings and efficiencies in other service areas, it has committed an extra £15 million over the next three years to increase maintenance activity.
However, leaders stress that this does not fully close the gap. “So yes — we’ve got a funding gap. But we’re working hard, innovating, and making every pound count.”
Residents are encouraged to report issues such as potholes and other defects via FixMyStreet to help crews respond quickly and prioritise repairs.
“We’re doing everything we can with what we’ve got — and public reports really help us target the areas that need attention most.”