Drainage and flooding, Rights of Way bridges and resurfacing of roads in Suffolk have been allocated extra funds for the 2021/22 financial year following Department for Transport’s funding announcement.

Keen to progress more drainage schemes across Suffolk to support the fight against flooding, Suffolk Highways has allocated an extra £2m – double its current budget allocation – in order to help tackle the worsening flood problems being experienced across the county.

Suffolk Highways also looks set to bolster its resource to support in the repairing or replacement of seven Rights of Way bridges across the county with an additional £800k, whilst committing a further £3.4m to the county’s surface dressing programme.

Although the budget is less than the 2020/21 allocation, Suffolk Highways prudently prepared for a decrease and allocated a tentative £21m for the 2021/22 financial year.

Councillor Andrew Reid, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for Highways, Transport and Rural Affairs, said “Allocating funding for Suffolk’s highway budget is a complex process and one we carefully consider ahead of receiving our allocation from the Department for Transport. It’s important to ensure our funding is used to focus on current priority areas across the county.

“I am glad our allocation is more than we prepared for the 2021/22 financial year and I am delighted that we will be able to progress on some much longed for drainage schemes, bridge repair projects, not to mention our bolstered road resurfacing programme – where we have committed to resurfacing a further 140 miles this year.

“Although this funding still represents a fall when compared with last year, we will continue to do what we can to spend this allocation appropriately and for the benefit of all Suffolk’s residents.”