Pot hole repair delays in bid to save Walsall Council £100,000

Funding for road and car park maintenance will be slashed by 10 per cent under new proposals.

There would also be less money available for surfacing, lighting and ticket machine repairs at the council's 59 car parks across the borough.

Further changes proposed for on-street parking - to save another £25,000 - would see motorists no longer being able to pay 20p for 10-minute slots.

Instead, fees would be set at 60p for up to 30 minutes, £1.20 for up to 60 minutes and drivers parking for up to two hours would pay £2.40.

The plans form part of Walsall Council's proposals to slash £25 million from its budget in 2016/17.

A report on the budget proposals states the revised tariff structure for on-street pay and display parking could encourage visitors to stay in the town centre for longer and boost trade, but it adds that there is a risk that some motorists will park in inappropriate locations such as junctions and restricted areas.

Under the plans, the highway maintenance budget would be cut by 10 per cent, saving £90,000 in the next financial year.

The report states: "This would result in less reactive maintenance on the highway so repairs such as potholes and replacing damaged pedestrian safety barriers will take longer to complete."

It also said there would be a risk of increased accidents, injury and insurance claims if the proposals are given the go-ahead.

Darlaston South Councillor Paul Bott said it would be 'disastrous' to cut the highways maintenance budget for the borough.

He said: "It would have a major impact.

"Roads play an essential part in getting people to work and and investing in repairing potholes keeps insurance claims down.

"We need to invest in our roads and highways."

Reducing the maintenance of council car parks stands to save £15,000 in 2016/17, according to the plans.

It would leave leave £25,000 available in the maintenance budget to fund work such as surfacing repairs, car park machine repairs, lighting repairs, cleansing activities, general damage and destruction.

The draft budget proposals also include plans to axe libraries, slash opening hours at New Art Gallery Walsall and raise market rents.