Fix roads with dedicated funding

I’m genuinely at the end of my tether with the state of our roads. It feels like we’ve quietly accepted that crumbling surfaces, endless potholes and patchwork repairs are just how things are now - they shouldn’t be.

As a teacher I see the knock-on effect every morning. One of the most common reasons this year for parents arriving late is a puncture or wheel damage.

As a commuter I have experienced the same thing myself. This is not just an inconvenience. It affects punctuality, productivity, vehicle costs and, most importantly, safety.

Cyclists are forced to swerve into traffic to avoid hazards, drivers brake unpredictably and emergency vehicles lose valuable time. We are normalising something that would not be tolerated in any other critical public service!

The proposal is straightforward and practical. We introduce a ring-fenced national road maintenance fund, protected by law so that it cannot be diverted into other areas of spending.

This fund would be supported through a combination of existing government allocation and a modest, clearly explained adjustment to vehicle taxation. Not a significant burden, but a targeted contribution that directly improves the infrastructure people rely on every single day.

The real benefit of this approach is stability. With predictable funding in place, local authorities can move away from reactive, short-term patching and instead plan proper, preventative maintenance. That shift alone reduces long-term costs and leads to far more durable roads. Just as importantly, ring-fencing the money builds public trust. People are far more willing to contribute when they know exactly where their money is going and can see the results in their own communities.

The fund would be delivered at a local level, with councils responsible for identifying and prioritising the roads most in need of repair. However, this would sit within a clear national framework, ensuring consistent standards and full transparency. Spending would be openly reported, repair schedules would be visible to the public, and performance would be measured against long-term outcomes rather than quick fixes that simply push the problem down the road.

This is not about creating perfect roads or over-engineering the system. It is about restoring a basic, reliable standard that people should be able to expect. Roads are fundamental infrastructure. They underpin access to education, work, healthcare and emergency services.

Right now, we are already paying the price of neglect through vehicle damage, lost time and increased risk. This proposal simply redirects that cost into something proactive, accountable and effective. Fixing our roads is not an ambitious or unrealistic goal. It is a decision to stop accepting gradual decline as inevitable and start treating essential infrastructure with the seriousness it deserves.