An extra half a billion pounds in annual local roads funding for councils has been pledged by the Government, from this April.
The total of nearly £1.6 billion for local highways authorities in England is an increase of nearly 50 per cent on last year’s allocation.
Councils will also be asked to collect data and proactively maintain roads before potholes start to form, with 25 per cent of the uplift held back as an incentive until they can show they are delivering.
Each local authority can use its share of funding to identify those roads in most need of repair, to deliver immediate fixes for communities and raise living standards across every area of the country, the Government said.
Cllr Adam Hug, LGA Transport Spokesperson, said the extra funding is helpful, but asked ministers to reconsider holding back a quarter of it so as to give councils the greater certainty they need.
He added: “Councils already spend considerably more on maintaining their highways than they receive from central government.
“Fully funding councils will enable them to plan far more effectively for, and invest in, preventative treatments that keep surfaces in better condition for longer and prevent potholes, which are more expensive to repair.
“Greater long-term investment is needed if we are to reduce the £16.3 billion repair backlog, and the Spending Review provides an opportunity to give councils this funding certainty.”