Government scraps 'unaffordable' A27 Arundel bypass - RAC comment

Image: Getty (all rights reserved)
Image: Getty (all rights reserved)

Reacting to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's spending assessment, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “These budget cuts have created more questions than answers about exactly when we’ll start to see the Government improve the condition of Britain’s broken roads.

“The cancellation of the A27 Arundel bypass, from which Labour promised to allocate £320m for pothole repairs in its election manifesto, simply doesn’t scratch the surface of the problem. We’re still waiting to hear whether a much larger sum, to the tune of £8.3bn from the cancelled northern leg of HS2, will be spent on local road maintenance over the next 11 years as promised by the previous Government. It’s this long-term certainty of funding that local authorities so desperately need to plan long-term maintenance programmes, resurface their worst roads, and carry out preventative treatment that stops potholes forming in the first place.

“Following last week’s news from the National Audit Office that the extent of the pothole problem isn’t truly understood by Government, now is the time for change. The new Transport Secretary has a real opportunity to deliver lasting improvements to the quality of the nation’s roads.” ​

Press office team

Press office team

For journalist enquiries only

Share

Latest News

Website preview
Petrol drops for third month in a row to near four-year low
Diesel now at its lowest since end of September 2021
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
Be wary of the ordinary: talking to passengers and daydreaming found to be biggest causes of distracted driving mistakes
Ordinary things drivers do every day like talking to passengers and daydreaming have been found to be the biggest cause of driving mistakes ahead of more obviously dangerous distractions, new RAC research reveals.*
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
Latest provisional data shows road fatalities rose in 2024 - RAC comment
Following the publication of this new provisional government dataset: RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said:
media.rac.co.uk

Get updates in your mailbox

By clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.

About RAC Media Centre

The RAC Media Centre provides journalists and news outlets with the latest motoring-related news, comment, data and research.

The RAC is an iconic UK brand, and provides complete peace of mind to nearly 14 million UK private and business drivers - whatever their motoring needs. As well as its premium nationwide breakdown assistance service – with an expert branded patrol workforce attending more than two million breakdowns every year – and European breakdown assistance products, it offers a wide range of market-leading products across insurance, legal services, vehicle inspections and service, maintenance and repair. Included in this is the first-of-its-kind nationwide Mobile Mechanics service which brings the garage to homes and workplaces. 

At the forefront of new solutions for business fleets and consumers, the RAC’s breakdown service is electric-ready with mobile EV charging technology and be called on using myRAC – its all-in-one route planner, fuel finder and breakdown reporting app