Record Highways Investment to Deliver Safer, Stronger Roads Across Doncaster

This has been made possible through a combination of increased funding from the Government and additional council funding allocated by Mayor Ros Jones as part of her Capital Budget in February, a total of £60 million has been set aside to bring these ambitious plans to fruition. This is a record commitment for the City of Doncaster that effectively doubles the annual spend that would normally be allocated to its road maintenance.

This investment enables the council to take a more proactive approach to improving Doncaster’s highway network, with works that will ensure local roads are safer, more durable and generally in better condition. Some of these treatments are already in progress, with 46 miles of road having been resurfaced since April alone.

Once the first year of the investment has concluded, it is expected that council teams will have resurfaced around 80 miles of road and completed 48 resurfacing schemes (roughly four times as many as they would in a typical year). This would mean that 8% of Doncaster’s entire road network will have received improvements in the span of just twelve months, with the aspiration being for this to reach at least 30% by the time the four-year programme has finished.

Speaking about this investment, Councillor Glyn Jones, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment and Housing, said: “Keeping everyone moving safely around Doncaster is a top priority for the council. By investing £60 million into highways maintenance over the next four years, we are taking a more proactive approach that will yield great benefits for the people of our city.

“Focussing on long-term improvements, as opposed to reactive repairs, this programme of works will improve the lasting condition and safety of our road network, reduce the need for unplanned disruptions in the future, and ultimately deliver better value for residents.”

The £60 million investment complements wider efforts to improve local roads. Earlier in the year, the council also introduced new measures to strengthen its pothole repairs. Among other things, teams updated their repair specifications, started making use of more effective materials, and began employing the latest techniques to address issues earlier and more effectively.