Wakefield roads set for £2.5m boost as council vows to ‘get things back on track’

Wakefield Council is set to invest an additional £2.5 million in highways maintenance and improvements for the 2026/27 financial year, as part of a wider five-year strategy to upgrade roads and footpaths throughout Wakefield and the Five Towns.

The funding, recently approved by cabinet members, will be directed towards repairing and resurfacing roads and pavements, with the aim of making the district’s transport network safer and more reliable.

Keith Anderson, the council’s cabinet member for highways, transport and planning, described the move as the beginning of efforts to “get things back on track”.

“The aim is to make our roads as safe as possible,” he said. “I can’t really change what’s been planned this year. What I can do is do it better and start planning the five year program out.”

The new programme, launching later this year, will focus on both immediate repairs and long-term improvements, including the introduction of new schemes to increase road safety and reliability.

It will also support the West Yorkshire Vision Zero initiative, which seeks to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the region through collaboration between local councils and the Combined Authority.

“We want to prioritise where we actually need to spend our money in order to make the road safe,” Coun Anderson said.

“I would hate to think anyone got injured or killed in the Wakefield district because we didn’t actually do something.”

To address concerns about dangerous driving and parking, two mobile traffic vehicles will be deployed across the district from early next year. These vehicles will enable officers to issue warnings, hand out fines, and liaise with police to tackle reckless driving and parking violations.

The council also intends to address potholes, although Coun Anderson emphasised that the focus will be on the most critical repairs that impact driver safety.

The highways team is considering trialling new technology, such as Multevo, to speed up pothole repairs and use weather-resistant materials.

Preventing roadwork-related delays is another priority, with plans to introduce charges for utility companies that keep roads closed during repairs.

“The worry is that most of these organisations are so big that they don’t really worry about it unless their contractors are penalised for it,” Coun Anderson said.

“It’s important to show residents that the council isn’t at fault for these closures but utility companies so we want to do what we can.”

While these longer-term initiatives are being developed, the council has already doubled the budget for city centre maintenance, road markings, and cleaning from £41,000 to £82,000 as of August.

This expanded funding will be used for resurfacing, repainting white lines, and pressure-washing pavements. Residents are being encouraged to share their suggestions and concerns about road safety through the Wakefield Council website.

“People want the best for their community and members of the general public know their area better than anybody else,” Keith said.