Budget Proposals - February 2011

Wiltshire’s Highways

Published on Sunday 20th February 2011

The state of Wiltshire’s road network is a disgrace.

The poor condition of our roads means not only considerable disruption for the county’s residents but also increased journey costs and, to too many local residents, damage to their vehicles. Many people also face the risk of injury simply when using the pavements on the streets that they live on.

It’s unacceptable that we are increasing the costs of using our cars in the county through increased parking fees, and not re-investing that money in improving our road infrastructure.

Liberal Democrats are therefore proposing an additional ringfenced spending of £5.5 million on our roads in 2011/12.

Our increased funding will:

Provide £0.5m for emergency repairs of roads away from the major strategic routes already catered for. Too many of our villages and towns have roads and pavements that are simply unacceptable.

Provide £5m of new capital spending, through prudential borrowing, to properly resurface much of the road network. Too much money is being wasted repairing the same potholes time after time after time, when what is really needed is for the road to be fully resurfaced.

Download a copy of the Liberal Democrat Wiltshire Council Budget Response