Hampshire County Council has welcomed the Government’s announcement that it is to receive £6.126 million of additional capital maintenance funding for maintaining and improving highways. The funding will be made available over the next two financial years with the respective splits of £3.990 million in 2013/14 and £2.126 million in 2014/15.

Councillor Mel Kendal, executive member for transport, said: "Highways maintenance is one of our top priorities. “Over three years ago, we made a commitment to invest in a multi-million pound long term strategy, with Operation Resilience, to refurbish our highway infrastructure with the focus being on improving the structural resilience of Hampshire’s roads and footways. “This additional funding will enable us to extend the scope of work to include schemes we would not have had the money to do otherwise." Hampshire County Council is responsible for maintaining over 5,500 miles of road and pavements in the county (excluding Portsmouth and Southampton). “The Operation Resilience programme is in addition to the County Council’s spend of almost £60 million per annum on general highways maintenance.” In the current financial year, Operation Resilience has strengthened a total of over 150 miles of roads and footways, making them more resilient and better able to withstand the effects of extremes in weather conditions and increasing traffic (pedestrians, cyclists and motorised vehicles). The County Council will now begin to identify where this additional funding will be spent on Hampshire’s roads and footways over the next two years. When the additional programme has been agreed, it will be available to view on the County Council’s website.