Tameside Council has approved a £45 million highways investment programme aimed at improving and maintaining the borough’s road network over the next five years.

The funding will support a range of infrastructure improvements, including roads, footways, bridges, retaining walls, drainage assets and street lighting, with a focus on preventative maintenance rather than reactive repairs.

The council says the investment will help tackle long-term deterioration across its network while reducing the need for costly emergency repairs such as pothole patching.

Tameside’s highway network includes 707km of roads, 1,530km of footways, almost 49,000 highway gullies and more than 25,600 streetlights, making it one of the authority’s most significant public assets.

Demand for highway repairs has increased in recent years, with pothole-related repairs rising by more than 15 per cent since 2021. The council believes a more proactive approach to maintenance will improve safety, reduce disruption and extend the lifespan of local infrastructure.

Modelling carried out by the authority suggests the £45 million investment could help avoid around £130 million in future repair costs over the next decade by addressing issues before they require major intervention.

The programme is also expected to support walking, cycling and public transport by improving the overall condition of the network and providing greater transparency around how maintenance funding is allocated.

Future work programmes will be developed using highway condition data alongside local knowledge, with projects coordinated where possible to minimise disruption for residents and businesses.

The council says the investment will support a shift away from short-term repairs towards a more strategic approach to asset management, while also creating opportunities for local employment, skills development and apprenticeship programmes linked to the delivery of the works.