Funding cut for road repairs in Peterborough and Cambs an ‘unwelcome surprise’

Funding for highways repairs including potholes is decreasing from £35.1 million in the current financial year to just shy of £27.7 million for 2021/22.

The money is handed over to the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Combined Authority - led by metro mayor James Palmer - before being re-distributed to Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.

A combined authority spokesperson said: “The Government has reduced the national budget for highways maintenance and the allocation for our area has fallen in line with that national reduction.

“This is an unwelcome surprise since the Government carried out a consultation assuming a higher figure, but it is important to recognise that we are not alone in having to adjust our plans. We will discuss the impact of this reduction with the Department for Transport.”

The reduced funding comes after the Peterborough Telegraph revealed that response times to repair defects in Peterborough has dropped in recent years, both for emergency and non-emergency cases, although the city council defended its approach which it said was focused more on prevention.