MPs are calling on the government to make it easier for councils to use unspent Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contributions to repair roads.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Better Roads said more than £2.2bn collected from developers remains unspent by councils in England and Wales, citing research by the Home Builders Federation.
Calls for clearer rules
CIL is charged by some local authorities to fund infrastructure needed to support new development. The levy can be used for road repairs, but the APPG’s analysis found that only 30% of survey respondents said their authority used CIL funds for highway improvements.
Just 14% said any of the money was spent specifically on improving road surfaces and structures, according to the report.
The APPG is calling for amendments to CIL legislation and enhanced government guidance to encourage councils to use both existing and future contributions to address the backlog of carriageway repairs, which it estimates at £18.62bn.
Rebecca Paul, chair of the APPG for Better Roads, said: “Both unspent CIL funds, and those collected on an ongoing basis, could be used to help fix our roads.
“This APPG calls on the Government to act to make it easier and more transparent for local authorities to invest CIL funds in resurfacing our roads at the right time and preventing potholes forming in the first place to the benefit of all road users.”
Potential support for local roads
Paul said CIL could provide an additional source of funding for planning authorities that charge it, helping to address the repair backlog while supporting smoother and safer journeys, productivity and economic growth.
“Importantly, utilising both existing and future CIL could support the government’s aims of improving local roads and addressing the backlog of repairs to tackle the ‘plague of potholes’, without the need to secure any additional funding,” she said.