Suffolk County Council has been awarded £2.9 million from the Department for Transport’s 2025/26 Incentive Fund for best practice in highways management.
The fund, introduced by the current government, rewards local authorities that demonstrate excellence in highway asset management and efficiency.
The award builds on the council’s strong track record of success in previous years, where it has consistently secured the maximum available funding under similar schemes.
Under the Incentive Fund scheme authorities must report:
- Highway maintenance spend over the past five years
- Road condition data, with trend analysis
- Pothole repair statistics for the last five years
- A 2025/26 resurfacing plan
- Show a balance of preventive against reactive maintenance
- Coordination with utilities to reduce disruption
- Climate resilience efforts
- Adoption of best practices and innovation
Councillor Paul West, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Operational Highways, said the award reflected the council’s commitment to delivering a high-performing, cost-effective highways service that prioritises long-term sustainability and value for money.
"We are pleased to have met the detailed requirements of the government’s incentive fund and that they have given the green light to the maximum funding – it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our highways teams.
“By embracing innovation and best practice, we have positioned Suffolk as one of the leading authorities in the country for highway asset management – and we have now been endorsed in our endeavours by the government.
“This investment will help us maintain and improve our network for the benefit of residents, businesses, and visitors."
Suffolk County Council will spend a total of £47.3 million on highways maintenance in 2025-26.
The Suffolk Highways 2025/26 surface dressing programme treated a total of 90 sites covering over 90 miles of road.
Similarly, this year’s resurfacing programme will deliver works across 57 locations covering more than 11 miles.
So far, 22 of the 58 resurfacing sites have been delivered with the remainder coming by the end of the financial year.
