New analysis from Medway Labour reveals the enormous Conservative £1,210,000 cut to the local road maintenance fund.

The cash promised to local authorities by the Government to repair damage on roads across the country has been cut by £375m.

It comes just weeks after the Chancellor urged people to “enjoy” National Pothole Day “before they’re all gone” and days after ministers boasted about funding given to councils this year – despite it being billions short of what is required.

Independent experts have found it will now take 11 years and £11bn to clear the backlog.

Cllr Andy Stamp, Medway Labour Spokesperson for Regeneration and Communities said, “Once again, this Conservative government is short-changing Medway. Potholes are the scourge of our roads – they cause widespread damage to cars and bikes. The Chancellor promised they would all soon be gone – then cut the fund to get rid of them. That sums this government up.

“How is it they can afford billions in crony contracts for their friends but when it comes to fixing the roads we rely on in Medway, they tell us the cupboard is bare. It’s either incompetence or the wrong priorities – or a bit of both. Whatever it is, this chaos is holding our area back and it has to stop.”

Jim McMahon MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, said:

“It appears the Government is trying to quietly scale back its promises to councils and do them out of the cash they desperately need.

“Local authorities are being forced into economically illiterate tax hikes while motorists are left to contend with problems that will take more than a decade to fix.”