Peterborough Election candidates on state of potholes

Nick Sandford (Liberal Democrats)

Nick Sandford is the Liberal Democrat candidate for Peterborough. (Image: Nick Sandford)

"Potholes are an increasing problem on roads in Peterborough and across the country. 

Fundamentally dealing with them should be a council responsibility and the fact that currently councils have to go cap in hand each year to government to get the necessary funding is but one example of why under both Labour and Tory governments, England has become one of the most over-centralised nations in Europe. 

The Liberal Democrats would legislate to ensure that councils have guaranteed sources of funding for road repairs and preferably for longer term resurfacing options, rather than just filling in the holes with a snazzy new machine.  

One of the reasons for the state of our roads is the increasing volume of traffic and particularly heavy goods vehicles. 

The Lib Dems would introduce a new national freight strategy aimed at getting large commercial loads off our roads and onto the railways. 

We would also invest more in public transport and make fares cheaper, particularly for young people, to give them an incentive to use it.

Longer term, we would set up a process to draw up a  new federal constitution for the UK, which would give councils a legal guarantee of their powers and sources of funding to enable them to provide vital services for local people, including road repairs."

Paul Bristow (Conservatives)

Paul Bristow is the Conservative candidate for Peterborough. (Image: Paul Bristow)

Most potholes are the responsibility of local councils. 

Peterborough City Council is run by Labour, which makes it important for our city’s MP to hold them to account, which I certainly do.

That’s easier not being in the same political party. Perhaps because it’s a council matter, I haven’t had this issue raised with me on doorsteps as much immigration, crime and local regeneration.

But the government has provided extra funding to councils, so it’s an entirely valid concern. Not enough is being done locally.

I have reported hundreds of potholes to the city council through my ‘Pothole Patrol’ campaign. Most have been repaired, but it shouldn’t take my campaign for that to happen.

The council needs to act faster and deal with deteriorating road surfaces before they become a problem. Too many people are left swerving potholes or getting a damaged suspension.

Instead, we have a Labour Mayor who wants to tax us off the road through a ULEZ-style road charging scheme – and Labour councillors in Peterborough who refuse to oppose him.

I’m the last line of defence. If we end up with a Labour MP, there will be no-one left to fight him and fight your corner."

Nicola Day (Green Party) 

Nicola Day is the Green Party candidate for Peterborough. (Image: Nicola Day)

"The Green Party wants to see our roads properly maintained however we are determined to improve public transport in order to reduce road use.

We would increase annual public subsidies for rail and bus travel by £10bn by the end of next Parliament, with free bus travel for under 18s.

We would invest an additional £19bn over five years to improve public transport, support electrification and create new cycleways and footpaths.

We would bring railways back into public ownership so profits are used to improve and develop the services and give Local Authorities control over and funding for improved bus services."

Tom Rogers (Christian Peoples Alliance)

Tom Rogers is the Christian Peoples Alliance candidates for Peterborough. (Image: CPA)

"The CPA would rebuild Britain by investing £100bn in major transport infrastructure and other capital projects, paid for by slashing the £265bn spent on Quangos (state funded bodies not run by the Government) back to nearer their 2010 levels (£90bn).

Our dilapidated road system, which is destroying vehicle suspensions all over the country, would be a principal focus.

Money spent annually on repairing local roads has been reduced by half since 2006 (£4bn) and we would aim to restore at least the £2bn shortfall.

We would then implement a 10-year programme to boost continued funding of local road maintenance, as suggested by the Local Government Association, devolving the equivalent of 2p of existing fuel duty.

We’d also devolve more powers to councils to make decisions on local transport infrastructure, enabling them to allocate resources more efficiently, according to the needs of cities like Peterborough.

In comparison with other cities, Peterborough has an amazing well-planned road system, which for most of the day, excepting certain peak-time bottlenecks, enables drivers to drive into or around town in just 10-15 minutes.

That is something to be celebrated and it deserves to be kept in the best possible condition."

The candidates for the Peterborough constituency are: 

Paul Bristow (Conservatives)

Nicola Day (Green Party) 

Amjad Hussain (Workers Party of Britain)

Zahid Ejaz Khan (Independent)

Sue Morris (Reform UK) 

Andrew Pakes (Labour)

Tom Rogers (Christian Peoples Alliance)

Nick Sandford (Liberal Democrats)