If you’ve ever crunched your way through a pothole on your morning drive or grumbled at traffic lights on a road that hasn’t been upgraded since the 1990s, there’s some good news. The government’s Spending Review 2025 promises £24 billion for roads and infrastructure across England over the next four years.
It’s a chunky investment, and one that could be felt from across the board. Change is on the cards. So, what’s been promised, when can you expect to see it, and how does it affect everyday drivers?
Let’s be honest, Britain’s road network is tired. Local authorities have long said they need more money to tackle the spiralling cost of pothole repairs, resurfacing and general maintenance. Until now, much of that was drip-fed in short-term grants with little room for long-term planning or major upgrades.
A record £24 billion has been set aside between 2026 and 2030 to maintain and upgrade the road network. That includes £2.4 billion specifically for A-roads and motorways, targeting long-standing congestion hotspots such as the M25 and other heavily used commuter routes.
Local roads are also getting attention, with a £3.4 billion increase in local government funding by 2028-29, aimed at improving basic road maintenance like resurfacing and pothole repairs. On top of that, there’s a £500 million uplift for 2025-26 dedicated to highways. Notably, a quarter of that funding is performance-linked, meaning councils will need to demonstrate results to unlock all of it.
It’s not just drivers who’ll benefit. Urban transport networks will see serious investment too. A total of £15.6 billion is being pumped into city-region public transport. That means places like Greater Manchester, the North East and East Midlands could see better buses, extended tram networks and smarter park-and-ride schemes.
What this means for you
For most of you, this means two things: fewer potholes and better public transport. But the effects should go deeper than that. You should start to see road surfaces improve across local streets and major roads and motorways.
Councils will be expected to meet new performance targets, so there’s real pressure for them to deliver visible results. You should also benefit from shorter journey times on key A-roads and motorways as congestion hotspots are upgraded – hopefully.
The key thing is that car owners aren’t being left behind. Unlike some previous announcements that focused solely on rail or electric vehicles, this investment recognises that the vast majority of people still rely on their car every day.
Editor’s view: Things can only get better
There’s plenty to welcome in this package. After years of underinvestment and short-term thinking, the Spending Review 2025 finally recognises that road users deserve a better deal. It’s not just about filling in the potholes, though that would be a good start. It’s about properly funding local authorities and giving them the backing to deliver a road network that actually works.
What’s encouraging is that this isn’t framed as a choice between drivers and public transport users. Instead, it looks at the bigger picture. Most of us switch between car, train, bus and bike depending on the day, and this investment could help make that juggling act a bit easier.
This isn’t about tearing up roads or taxing people out of their cars. It’s about making the everyday stuff better – or at least that’s the theory. I’m cautiously optimistic, and even if a portion of this money ends up where it’s supposed to go, many drivers could finally start to feel the benefit of any additional investment in infrastructure.
Keith Adams – Parkers Editor
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