Highway Authorities are to share £15m of extra funding to help them better manage their assets and improve the service they offer the public, Transport Minister Rosie Winterton has announced.

The new funding will help local authorities to gather important information on the condition of their streetlights, bridges, roads and other assets, in order to manage them more effectively.


Rosie Winterton said: "Asset management is not just about engineering, or finding the right technical solution at the best price. It's about ensuring the asset provides the service that the public want from it.

"Good asset management starts with knowing what assets you have, what condition they are in and what you want to use them for. This extra funding will help local authorities to gather and use the data they need to ensure they get the best from the infrastructure they manage."

The Department for Transport strongly encourages strategic asset management by highway authorities and advice on this was included in the LTP (Local Transport Plan) guidance in 2004.

(GK)