Henry Smith MP welcomes more than £67 million for West Sussex for long-term plan to repair our roads

· That is why the Government is investing a total of £8.3 billion of redirected HS2 funding to resurface roads across the country – the biggest ever uplift in funding for local road improvements.

· This investment will be transformative for every region across the country, creating smoother, well-maintained and safer roads for all.

Henry Smith MP has welcomed £67,684,000 of funding from the Government over the next 11 years in West Sussex, meaning thousands of people across Crawley will enjoy smoother, safer and faster road journeys.

The funding follows the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announcing at the Conservative Party Conference that the £36 billion that would have been spent extending HS2 would now be spent on long-term transport improvements that will deliver better, faster journeys for far more people.

New plans allow the Government to invest £8.3 billion, enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of roads across the country, saving motorists up to £440 on vehicle repairs and creating smoother, safer and easier journeys for all.

West Sussex County Council is to receive £2,161,000 this financial year, followed by a further £2,161,000 for 2024-25, as part of a long-term funding plan through to 2034.

Henry said: “People across Crawley rely on our roads to go about their daily lives, and I know the inconvenience potholes can cause.

“That’s why I welcome the Government’s decision to redirect HS2 funding to local highway authorities, with West Sussex set to receive £67,684,000 in total.

“This funding will greatly improve the day-to-day lives of Crawley residents – ensuring shorter, faster and smoother journeys.”

This is one of the key cornerstones of Network North to improve everyday journeys. This funding comes on top of the local transport, road and rail budgets allocated at the last Spending Review and in addition to what local authorities were already expecting for the next decade.

This announcement is only possible due to the long-term decision the Government has taken to redirect every penny of savings from HS2 in transport projects across the country – benefitting more people in more places, more quickly.

The 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.”