New £1.7bn transport investment to target road repairs and increase EV charger numbers

Drivers should be able to enjoy smoother and safer roads thanks to a new multi-billion pound investment in roads and transport announced today.

Millions of pounds worth of upgrades have already been made to the UK’s road network during the lockdown period, and this is set to continue over the coming months.

But the £1.7bn Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund aims to go further and not only improve roads and bridges but also repair around 11 million potholes currently plaguing the UK’s road network.

It will also be used to improve road safety at key locations, install new priority bus lanes and implement new projects that will help maintain the improvement of air quality which has been recorded during lockdown.

It’s part of a multi-billion package of investment in road and rail to help the economy as it recovers from the effect of the coronavirus.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “There has been a monumental effort in every corner of the country to slow the spread of the virus and protect our NHS. However, the battle is not over yet and we urge everyone to keep up the good work and only travel when they need to.

“To help those who do have to use public transport or get out on the roads to do their jobs, we’ve been accelerating infrastructure upgrades to make sure that, as we gradually reopen our society, everyone can benefit from smoother and safer journeys with better connections for our future.”

It follows on from an accelerated £175 million worth of work being carried out while roads are quieter.

Today’s announcement also reveals plans to ensure that each motorway electric car charging point has at least six fast chargers with several planned to incorporate as many as 12 chargers by 2023. These points will also allow electric car owners to charge their cars easily using a debit or credit card.