We’ll force the worst culprits to do right thing by motorists

EVERY journey starts and ends on our roads. As the nation’s arteries they are not just a social lifeline, but at the heart of a growing economy. It’s why, both as Transport Secretary and an MP representing rural Gloucestershire, I get the frustration that Mail readers feel when road quality isn’t up to scratch.

So tomorrow, new rules come in that will reduce congestion, deliver smoother journeys, and significantly improve the network. We will ensure utility companies that carry out street works no longer leave our roads in a mess.

Shockingly, some companies fail to resurface roads to the best standard in more than 50 per cent of cases. It means pothole pain for motorists and leaves taxpayers footing the bill.

We’re putting this right by strengthening our inspections regime – targeting checks on those worst performing companies and forcing them to incur costs each time. With up to £120 charged per inspection, companies failing to do right by motorists could be hit with large costs.

The benefits are clear. Last year, the RAC reported up to 20 pothole-related breakdowns every day. Potholes aren’t just inconvenient; they lead to expensive vehicle repairs and can be lethal for those travelling on two wheels.

These new rules protect road users by making it clear to utility companies: if you damage our roads, you’ll be expected to fix them. As well as preventing thousands of future potholes, the new measures will also help ease congestion. Utility companies and local authorities will be mandated to report more up-to-date and accurate data on live street works. This will feed into sat navs and other apps so motorists can spend less time stuck in traffic. By easing restrictions on works carried out by telecoms companies, we’ll not only speed up those works and reduce disruption on our roads, but also accelerate the roll out of broadband.

We will continue to be on the side of Mail readers who use our roads. It’s why we’re spending £5.5billion on vital upgrades and repairs to our highways.

It’s why the Chancellor committed £200million extra in his Spring Budget to tackle the plague of potholes.

Growing the economy is one of this Government’s top priorities and our road network is crucial to getting growth going.