The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has launched The Structures Fund, a £1bn fund to transport infrastructure including bridges, tunnels and roads.
DfT estimated that approximately 3,000 bridges are currently unable to support the heaviest vehicles, restricting access for agricultural and freight transport in regions, and slowing down journeys.
The UK chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “When it comes to investing in Britain’s renewal, we’re going all in by going up against the painful disruption of closed bridges, crossings and flyovers, and ensure they’re fit to serve working people for decades to come.
“Today’s investment also goes even further and faster to spread growth by providing critical funding to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing – not just boosting connectivity in the South East, but ensuring a smoother, less congested passage of vital goods from Europe to our regions.”
Additionally, the fund is designed to help fix, maintain and improve existing transport infrastructure, with a further £590m provided to to help finish the Lower Thames Crossing.
The new crossing will seek to cut congestion at Dartford, with the government looking to bring in private finance and expertise to support the project.
However, there are those directly affected by this announcement who stated that the Structures Fund is too little, too late, with Britain’s roads in already dire state of repair.
Transport Action Network (TAN) responded to the announcement by suggesting that ‘countless millions [are] being wasted’ and that the UK ‘Treasury is throwing good money after bad’.
Transport Action Network’s director Chris Todd said: “The Lower Thames Crossing is such an embarrassment that its latest funding announcement had to be combined with announcements about repairing bridges, tunnels and flyovers.
“This new ‘smart’ motorway is likely to cost the public purse over £6bn when all the associated road schemes are included.
“That’s in addition to the much higher toll charges on working people to pay back the private finance that will also be needed. It’s madness when we’ve shown there are better, cheaper and more inclusive solutions available for people and freight.
“With 3,000 substandard bridges nationally, £410m doesn’t even scratch the surface of the maintenance backlog. It’s less than £137,000 per bridge which will only be enough for the most minor of repairs. When we can’t afford to maintain the roads we’ve got, the last thing we should do is raid public funds to build a new Lower Thames ‘smart’ motorway Crossing.”
Achievements in road maintenance will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
