§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what funding has been allocated to local authorities for highway maintenance for each financial year from 1997–98 to 2005–06(a) in total and (b) for each local authority; [86096]
(2) what support was given by his Department to local authorities (a) in total and (b) for each authority, in each financial year since 2000–01 for roads maintenance and repair, broken down by different sources of this funding; and what changes are planned in the next 10 years to the level of funding. [86108]
§ Mr. JamiesonBefore 2000–01 capital allocations were made under the TSG/TPP system. Since then allocations have been made under the Local Transport Plan system. Details of capital funding for English local authorities outside London for the years 1997–98 to 2004–05 have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Capital funding for maintenance in London is a matter for the Mayor.
Revenue funding for highway maintenance is provided through Revenue Support Grant (RSG). RSG is an unhypothecated grant provided to Local Authorities to enable them to carry out their functions; local authorities can choose to spend this on any services for which they have responsibility, subject to local spending priorities. The amounts provided for highway maintenance within the national totals for RSG in the years 1997–98 to 2004–05 are set out in the table.
Highway maintenance revenue funding between 1997–08 and 2004–05 £ million cash Year Local roads revenue 1997–98 1,658 1998–99 1,721 1999–2000 1,763 2000–01 1,859 2001–02 1,905 2002–03 1,955 2003–04 2,005 2004–05 2,055 The Government is committed to halting the deterioration in local road condition by 2004 and to eliminating the backlogs in carriageway, footway, bridge and street lighting maintenance by 2010. Over £30 billion for local road maintenance is being provided over the timescale of the 10-year Transport Plan.