Dorset Council will be able to carry out more resurfacing and reconstruction work on its roads this year, thanks to a £9.1m injection from the Department for Transport (DfT).
The Secretary of State for Transport has announced a £1.7billion Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund to be allocated to Combined Authorities and Local Highway Authorities for 2020/21.
The fund will improve journeys for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers across England through repairs to local roads and will seek to lock-in environmental benefits seen during COVID-19.
Councillor Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:
“This is a much welcomed, significant boost to our highways funding.
“As always, there are caveats as to what we can spend this money on, but we are hoping to accelerate our current programme of roads resurfacing and improvement works.
“Highways teams are currently assessing sites that would benefit from resurfacing as well as drainage improvement schemes and stability works between Wimborne and Cranborne.
“We welcome government funding for specific areas of the council’s work like this. However, I must remind residents that the council’s overall financial position remains challenging due to the significant additional expenditure and loss of income incurred through our COVID response.”
This additional money raises the total capital funding received from the Department for Transport for Dorset Highways to £23,848,000, and includes:
Confirmed 2020/21 annual allocation £10,564,000
Incentivised element (Band 3 awarded) £2,201,000
Improvements funding £1,971,000
Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund £9,112,000
Programmes of work and further information will be published as it becomes available.
