Labour’s pledge to fill one million more potholes each year in doubt as Chancellor pulls cash to plug £22bn black hole
LABOUR’s election promise to fill one million more potholes each year and a £8.3billion pledge for road repairs were in doubt last night.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves pulled the pothole cash this week as part of her spending squeeze to plug a £22billion black hole in the nation’s finances.
But it came weeks after Sir Keir Starmer promised Sun readers in his election campaign that he would launch a road repair blitz.
In June, the PM insisted his plan was “fully costed” and backed by “enough money” — with £320million from deferring the Arundel A27 bypass.
He also pledged it would be on top of the £8.3billion the Tory government had promised for road repairs from scrapping high-speed rail HS2.
But on Monday, Ms Reeves pulled the bypass project in West Sussex to shore up the public finances instead.
Government sources also said the £8.3billion 11-year roads investment plan was now being “assessed in the round”.
The Department for Transport said the Government was still committed to “providing cash needed to fix up to one million more potholes a year”.
But it did not confirm where the money would come from.
A spokesperson added: “We will set out how we will achieve this at the Spending Review later this year.”
AA president Edmund King said: “Drivers want £320million from the A27 bypass to fill one million potholes as promised, rather than partially fill a £22billion blackhole.”
Simon Williams, from the RAC, said: “It’s very concerning to learn the £8.3bn put aside by the previous Government to improve the state of local roads in England is under threat. Without this, the country’s roads will almost certainly continue to crumble.”
Shadow Transport Secretary Helen Whately said: “Keir Starmer spent months telling voters he could fund everything with economic growth. No surprises road investment is one of the first casualties.”