THE Liverpool City Region will receive a share of £1.2 billion to help repair and resurface roads.

Today (Friday, November 17), Transport Secretary Mark Harper has set out the allocations of £1.2 billion investment to resurface roads in the North West, the biggest allocation of any English region.

This is part of a wider, national long-term plan of £8.3 billion, enough to resurface more than 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next 11 years.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for hardworking families - tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example.

“Well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket.

“This unprecedented £8.3 billion investment will pave the road for better and safer journeys for millions of people across the country and put an end to the blight of nuisance potholes.”

Local highway authorities in the North West, including in Greater Manchester, Westmorland and Furness, Blackpool, Lancashire and the Liverpool City Region, will each receive a share of the £1.2 billion which they can use to identify what local roads are in most need of repair and deliver immediate improvements for communities and residents.

Across the North West, local highway authorities will receive £19 million this financial year, followed by a further £19 million for 2024/2025, with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow, and dangerous journeys. Our £1.2 billion boost to repair roads across the North West shows that we’re on the side of drivers.

“Today’s biggest ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster and safer trips - as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”

The North is benefitting from £19.8 billion directly from Network North which will improve local connectivity across the North West, as well as £12 billion to deliver the Liverpool to Manchester Northern Powerhouse Rail route. Projects include faster and more frequent trains between all the North’s main cities including Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester, and a new £2.5 billion fund to transform local transport in 14 rural counties, smaller cities and towns.