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budget £200m for filling potholes

Just announced in today's budget http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/19/budget-2014-at-a-glance-k...
I wonder how much of that is new money and how much is roll up of money already announced.
If it's new, that would be welcome. I noticed that Epping New Road, down which the TdF will race has been partly resurfaced already.

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chokofingrz | 10 years ago
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Only £200m? That means that only 10,000 of us can make £20,000 claims against our councils when we wreck on the unfilled holes!

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Jack Osbourne snr replied to chokofingrz | 10 years ago
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chokofingrz wrote:

Only £200m? That means that only 10,000 of us can make £20,000 claims against our councils when we wreck on the unfilled holes!

Warch this space... Dunno about 20k but after wrecking myself on the way to work on Monday, I'll be looking for 3-4k for the triple fractured collarbone and cost of replacing an entire set of kit plus bizarrely, all the lights on the bike.

This may go up once I've had the bike brought back from the police station.

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oozaveared | 10 years ago
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Well £200m almost certainly isn't enough. But roads are generally the responsibility of county councils not central govt. So the £200m "they can bid for" is likely to be matched or ratio funding. ie the treasury will give you £1 for every £x you spend on fixing potholes. The purpose is to subsidise it a bit but to unlock CC coffers. Many highways budgets have a contingency or are allocated to finance particular schemes. So ratio subsidising pothole fixing means it makes sense for the highways budget to be spent now on potholes rather than remain allocated to some future project or kept in contingency.

I expect that the ratios will vary between types of roads as well so as to maximise the effectiveness.

Better than a poke in the eye with a hot stick I think.

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joebee9870 | 10 years ago
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It means in real terms that they can fill the pot holes in one medium street (nine small patches)in all the cities in the UK or re-surface about 5 miles of road.

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Gkam84 | 10 years ago
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200 million wouldn't even cover the councils estimate for here, let alone having to bid for a slice of it

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zzgavin | 10 years ago
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from https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chancellor-george-osbornes-budget...
"Our roads too have taken a battering.

My Honourable Friend for Northampton North has been a persistent campaigner for resources to repair the pot-holes in his constituency and across the country.

His persistence has paid off and I’m making £200 million available which local authorities can bid for. I trust Northampton will be making an application."

and details from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil...
"2.28 Potholes challenge fund – The government will provide an additional £200 million in
2014-15 to set up a potholes challenge fund to increase further the amount local authorities
spend on maintaining the local road network. This includes an allocation to devolved
administrations."

so it seems to be new money

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