Lib Dems' £1 million additional road funding: time to fight back against Tories' appalling backlog of repairs

As Bedford Borough Council embarks on its summer programme of road improvement works, the Liberal Democrats have declared that the £1 million additional funding they added into the budget at no extra cost to the taxpayer should signal the start of the 'fight back' against the appalling backlog of repairs that was allowed to build up by the Tory- run County council.

Commenting, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Dave Hodgson said:

"The additional £1 million must signal just the start of a fight back against the vast backlog of repairs. After the Conservative-run County Council allowed our roads to fall into a shocking state, despite spiralling council tax bills, the task ahead is a huge one.'

"The Liberal Democrats recognise this and forced the extra £1 million for road repairs into the first budget of the unitary authority as part of a raft of measures to bring about real improvements in the Borough. This was achieved without any additional council tax increase. The Conservatives tried initially to block these improvements and voted against the additional £1 million for road repairs, adding insult to the injury caused by their years of misrule at County Hall."

In addition to an extra £1million of capital investment for roads and paths, the Liberal Democrats secured funding in the first budget of the unitary Bedford Borough Council for a range of important measures including:

• £40,000 to tackle the problems of verge parking

• £35,000 to protect open spaces from unauthorised traveller encampments.

• A freeze in off-street parking charges for stays of up to two hours

• A total of over £100,000 added into the budget for children and young people to enhance youth services, boost holiday 'playschemes and 'streetschemes' and provide facilities for young people.

• £20,000 for action on climate change and cutting council energy bills,

• £12,000 for the repair, replacement or provision of new bus shelters