Currently reading: Government vows to ‘accelerate’ investment in UK road network
UK government steps up previous commitments while traffic is low, with £200m of road improvements fast-tracked during lockdown

The government has vowed to accelerate investment in the UK’s transport infrastructure while traffic levels remain low during the coronavirus crisis through the use of a £1.7 billion fund to repair local roads and £175 million of work on major road and rail networks.

The measures were outlined by transport secretary Grant Shapps, who said £200m of "major improvement work" was fast-tracked on motorways and A-roads during the extended lockdown period.

The Department for Transport also outlined a £1.7bn investment in local roads from the Transport Infrastructure Investment Plan – confirming money that had already been committed by the government. Shapps said the investment will be accelerated and used to repair road infrastructure, including filling in around 11m potholes.

Shapps also outlined further details of the government’s “vision” to improve electric charging infrastructure resulting from the £500m Rapid Charging Fund announced in the March 2020 Budget.

The government has vowed that every motorway service station in England will have a minimum of six ultra-rapid charge points by 2023, with certain larger sites offering between 10 and 12. The plans call for 2500 high-powered charge points to be in place on English motorways and A-roads by 2030, with 6000 by 2035.

READ MORE:

UK road usage increasing despite lockdown still being in place

How Autocar writers would fix Britain's roads and transport

Government makes it easier to close urban roads to cars

Advertisement

Read our review

Car review

Toyota switches its popular mid-sized SUV onto a new platform and hybrid-only tack

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

Join the debate

Comments
1
Add a comment…
Peter Cavellini 15 May 2020

Pure fiction?

 So, just England then?, no mention of extra cash for roads in the UK?,maybe they should take note of who could work from home, the fact that globally with pollution reduced in this seven almost week period the Ozone hole has closed, so, by all means fix the roads, I was on a road yesterday that I hadn't been on for a year, it still had potholes from a year ago, infact they fixed them after the Forth Road bridged closer, so whenever that was, as for As for EV infrastructures, the whole Country needs to improve, so , Boris, please can we all have money for our roads!