The funding will be allocated to resurfacing roads, repairing potholes and other defects, and enhancing the city’s pavements. This award recognises the ongoing efforts and the publication of the council's Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2026, which details road conditions, improvement strategies, and planned work for 2026/27.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, highlighted the visible improvements residents are experiencing. He stated, “This is great news and testament to the hard work being done by the team. Residents are seeing a visible improvement in the condition of our roads, with treatment, resurfacing and repair programmes taking place across the city.”
“"We’ve invested in better technology, gathered more detailed information and developed a far clearer understanding of the condition of our road network. That data has given us a more honest picture of what needs fixing and where investment will have the greatest impact. We welcome the recognition by the government of our achievements in making our city roads and path better. We’re using this funding to make journeys smoother, safer and more accessible for everyone."
In total, the council plans to spend £8.8 million in 2026/27 on improving roads and pavements. This includes almost £4 million for road improvements, £2.2 million for immediate repairs like potholes, over £1 million for pavement enhancements, £200,000 for accessibility improvements such as dropped kerbs, £360,000 for safer roads and junctions, and more than £2 million for major projects. By 2027/28, the council intends to double its investment in preventative maintenance.
The council is responsible for maintaining 620km of roads, 1159km of pavements, 49km of cycle lanes, over 22,000 streetlights, 6500 traffic signals, and more than 25,000 drains and gullies.
