Bid for Highways PFI money welcomed by Lib Dems

2.28.36pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 31st May 2006

The Liberal Democrat group on Sheffield City Council have reacted to the news that the council plan to bid for £300m of road repairs through a highways PFI. Lib Dems have broadly welcomed the move and are calling for the council to ensure a number of key conditions are met by the bid.

The PFI deal would see the council's highway maintenance responsibility transfer to a private company over a length of time. It is currently estimated that the council will need to find an extra £10m a year to fund the scheme.

Lib Dems are calling for any future deal to cover a comprehensive repair of roads rather than the councils current practice of 'skimming', which leads to many roads needing repair again in a short space of time.

They are also calling for the council to ensure that regular maintenance would be carried out, that the deal will cover the whole road network and that the initiative comes in at an affordable price.

Councillor Paul Scriven, Leader of the Sheffield Liberal Democrat Group, said: -

"It has been abundantly clear for many years that the state of Sheffield's roads is a major cause for concern. Therefore I hope this news signals a step in the right direction and I broadly welcome it. The council now faces the task of putting together the bid and as always with PFI schemes the devil is in the detail"

"We need to ensure that any future deal is for a full and comprehensive repair programme for the whole road network. We also need to look at the conditions we lay down to the private company in terms of the level of service and the specification of work to be carried out. Of course affordability is also a key issue"

"Over the coming weeks we will be looking at the proposals the council bring forward. The Liberal Democrats will be working to try and ensure that any future highways PFI deal is the best deal for Sheffield"