A Revolution on Our Roads! (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

A Revolution on Our Roads!

March 31, 2005 7:16 PM

After years of under-investment, a massive programme of road repairs has been launched by the Lib Dem-Tory-Green administration running Leeds City Council. An ambitious five year programme to clear the enormous maintenance backlog begins with an extra £8m capital investment this year to improve the condition of our roads. Headingley will be one of the wards to benefit.

Executive Member for City Services Councillor Steve Smith (Lib Dem, Rothwell) said "I think everyone in Leeds would agree that this is very welcome. The roads in some parts of our city are in a terrible state and improvements are long overdue. For year after year the Labour administration routinely diverted money that the Government provided for road repairs to other priorities. This has led to a massive £60m repairs backlog that could never be cleared without major additional investment."

The Lib Dem led administration is putting a programme in place that will go a very long way towards clearing the backlog. It's a huge project that will see the roads in Leeds transformed from their current terrible state to amongst the best maintained in the country.

This is something that will increase the quality of life for everyone in Leeds - whether they're public transport users, car owners, cyclists or pedestrians. The extra money will start to make a difference over the next few months, and over the next five years hundreds of streets will be resurfaced.

Cllr Martin Hamilton (Lib Dem, Headingley) commented "Residents rightly complain that Headingley's roads are some of the most poorly maintained in the city. It has been estimated that at the rate Labour were repairing our roads, it would have taken 40 years to get them up to scratch! By investing millions more every year, we hope to bring the Leeds road maintenance programme back on track in just five years"

Cllr Mulholland (Lib Dem, Headingley) added "These proposals are designed to start putting right years of neglect that have had a devastating effect on Headingley's roads. The administration has identified that it is imperative to take steps to improve road conditions as poor roads are potentially dangerous for all road users including cyclists, pedestrians and motorists."

1. Local authorities across the country struggle to fund road maintenance. Figures recently released by the Asphalt Industry claim that there is a highways repair backlog of over £1 billion nationally (http://www.asphaltindustryalliance.com). Leeds aims to buck this trend.

2. Amongst the first streets that will benefit from the extra highways investment are Gotts Park Crescent (Armley), Fairfield Avenue (Bramley), Potternewton Avenue, Potternewton Grove, Potternewton Mount and Potternewton View (Chapel Allerton), Hollin Park Crescent, Hollin Park Crescent Mount, Hollin Park Crescent Road, and Hollin Park Crescent Avenue (Roundhay), Lawrence Road (Gipton and Harehills), King George Avenue (Horsforth), Stainburn Crescent (Moortown) and Bainbrigge Road (Headingley).