Extra £8 million to fill 88,000 potholes
The Government is to provide an extra £8.6 million to fill in 88,000 potholes across the West Midlands.
Richard Parker, elected mayor for the West Midlands, said the Department for Transport was providing a 33 per cent increase increase in the region’s highway repair funding to fill more potholes and resurface bad roads.
The extra funding, enough to fill 88,000 potholes, comes on top of the £24 million funding already awarded for 2025-6 financial year.
The money will be shared between Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Solihull councils according to a set formula. Birmingham’s road repairs are funded through a separate private finance initiative process.
Mr Parker said It would allow councils to schedule more roads for repair and resurfacing, as well as work to prevent more potholes from forming. The use of modern techniques and materials could also extend the life of a road and reduce the future risk of potholes forming, he added.
He said: “Far too many of our roads are blighted by dangerously deep potholes, cracks and craters leaving motorists to pick up the bill for car repairs and poor driving conditions. This is the result of years of under investment.
“Now, with this funding I’ve secured from government, our councils can bring even more roads up to scratch and our motorists can enjoy journeys which are quicker, safer and with reduced wear and tear on vehicles.”
Transport for West Midlands, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, is also working on a government-funded research project to test innovative new road surface materials which are both lower carbon than traditional methods and in some cases longer lasting.
