North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has questioned the Finance Minister this week over Welsh Government action to address the issue of pot holes across Wales.

Speaking in the Assembly Chamber yesterday, Mr Isherwood asked what assessment the Welsh Government has made of the action needed to tackle the problem and how it will ensure funding goes to where it is needed most.    

Addressing the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd, Rebecca Evans AM, he said:

“The Welsh Government's Written Statement on the Final Local Government Settlement for 2019-20 identified capital funding for local government in Wales, including General Capital Funding of £193 million, falling to £183 million in the following year, but including £20 million for the Public Highways Refurbishment Grant.

“We all know that adverse weather has had an impact on potholes across Wales, which, presumably, is a consideration in the Welsh Government's delivery of these funding sums, but what actual assessment has the Welsh Government carried out of the total level of pothole action need across Wales? And how will it ensure that the funding that is available is being targeted where it's needed most?”

Responding, the Minister replied:

“I've recently had discussions with colleagues across Government about the balance that we strike between road and infrastructure maintenance, and then the investment that we might want to put into new infrastructure, because it is important that we take good care of the infrastructure that we already have. In terms of the level of funding that might be needed to deal with all of the potholes that we have across Wales at the moment, I would certainly explore that with my colleague with responsibility for that—the Minister for Economy and Transport.”