Aylesbury MP frustrated by lack of pot hole repairs

Laura Kyrke-Smith has written to Buckinghamshire Council to express "her serious concern about the condition of roads across Aylesbury and the villages", but the council says it has "been proactive, not passive, in addressing the issue."

The Labour MP confirmed that the government has allocated more than £20 million to the council for road maintenance, but said she is frustrated by the lack of repairs.

Bucks Radio asked Buckinghamshire Council for their thoughts on the MPs letter and Thomas Broom, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "The Department for Transport's recent assessment of local highway maintenance has given top marks to both the level of investment we are making and to our best practice in deploying those resources."

You can read Laura Kyrke-Smith's letter and Thomas Broom's full response below.

Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport, said:

"I fully recognise the strength of feeling from residents regarding the condition of the roads and that is why we have increased the number of teams out on the network making repairs by more than 50%.

"The recent period of prolonged wet and freezing weather has significantly accelerated the emergence and escalation of defects across the country. That is precisely why we are taking a more strategic, long term approach with inspection regimes, repair methods, and drainage resilience all reviewed to increase the longevity of repairs.

"It is important to be honest about the financial reality we face. The government has cut £44.5 million of funding from Buckinghamshire through the "fair funding" review. Despite this attack on our finances, Buckinghamshire Council has passed a budget that delivers on our £120 million road programme, with investment of £220 million into the wider highway network.

"The Department for Transport's recent assessment of local highway maintenance has given top marks to both the level of investment we are making and for best practice in deploying those resources.

"Buckinghamshire Council has been proactive, not passive, in addressing the issue. It is a substantial, deliberate political choice by the Council to protect and improve our road network despite significant external pressures. We are not simply maintaining the status quo, we are investing heavily with the aim of delivering long lasting improvements rather than short term fixes.

"We welcome continued dialogue, but it is important that constituents understand both the progress being made and the financial constraints within which we are operating."

Laura Kyrke-Smith had taken to social media to express her thoughts: