28.02.20
Government announces £93m for transport tech and road networks
Roads Minister Baroness Vere has announced today (Feb 28) a £93m investment into roads and transport tech.
Today’s multi-million pound boost to connectivity will ensure England’s roads are fit for the 21st century by providing 32 local authorities with investment for essential repair works, better infrastructure and road conditions, making journeys easier and less congested.
Included in the £93m is over £4m for New Elvet Bridge repairs in Durham and £3.7m to refurbish a number or steel bridges around Northumberland.
In addition to this, a £900,000 investment has just been made by government to support UK innovators and scientists by funding cutting-edge research such as finding as repairing pot holes, through AI-powered apps.
The technology will detect potholes by using mobile phone sensors to record and measure when cyclists ride over them or swerve around them.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:
“There is nothing more frustrating than a journey delayed by poor road conditions, and this multi-million pound boost will help improve connectivity across the country.
“This investment will not only help local areas to target current pinch points on their roads, but will also harness our world-leading research and innovation capabilities to future proof the next generation of journeys.”
Another project, Shape-Pot, will create 3D pothole models to automatically self-repair, promoting modern and sustainable roads of the future.
Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool Paolo Paoletti said:
“Thanks to the T-TRIG funding, the team will create a proof-of-principle autonomous robotic platform to characterise road surface, a first step toward autonomous maintenance of roads.”
Today’s announcement forms part of over £6.6bn awarded between 2015 and 2021 to improve local highway networks.