Highways Budget Too Small, say Liberal Democrats

3.13.09pm GMT Tue 21st Mar 2006

Liberal Democrat Councillor Bob Johnston, opposition spokesperson on transport, commenting today on the County's highways budget for the coming year, pointed out that, faced with a maintenance backlog of well over £100 million for non-principal roads, the County was barely scratching the surface.

In the absence of an extra £10 million the situation can only deteriorate, he said. This is unfortunate, because in the past year a significant amount of pavement renewals had been carried out using the budget agreed by the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives before the May elections.

"The budget for the coming year is very, very tight indeed (an officer present agreed with this description) and in my view is probably unachievable. The Liberal Democrats believe the people of Oxfordshire deserve better."