Record funding, record results: 7,000 miles of smoother journeys as government tackles potholes

Nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing – the equivalent of travelling between London and Singapore – will be completed this year according to new figures published today (21 October 2026) as the government looks to give drivers more breathing space and help with the cost of living.

Figures from local councils shows over 10% more resurfacing than took place last year as data also shows that councils are starting to properly invest in their roads with £4.9 billion total being spent this year, £800 million more than before this government came to power.

The record figures show that the government’s £7.3 billion in funding for road maintenance is starting to deliver better roads for communities that have suffered from potholes, helping the average driver save up to nearly £600 pounds on costly repairs.

Following the publication of today’s data, the government has gone even further and unlocked £220 million in incentive-based funding to councils across England for meeting performance-based targets. Further funding will be released later in the year only if councils reach their performance targets, and can be withheld if they fail to reach them as part of the government’s efforts to hold councils to account.

Potholes continue to be a daily nuisance for drivers across the country, whether they’re travelling to work, the school run or a hospital appointment. But record funding and new measures to hold councils to account and make transport better, also shown in the recent announcement to tackle antisocial behaviour on transport, including £100 fines on buses and a crackdown on loud music on trains.