The ‘Improving Barnet’s Roads and Pavements’ programme selects roads and pavements for repair based on an independent condition survey
Barnet Council’s Cabinet has approved a fresh investment of £16.9 million for road and pavement improvements in the borough for the 2025/26 financial year. This funding is part of the larger £97 million package announced in 2024, aimed at enhancing the borough’s infrastructure over the coming years.
The investment will be sourced from multiple streams, including £15.5 million from the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy, which includes contributions made by developers operating in Barnet. Additionally, an annual £250,000 allocation, committed as part of ‘Our Plan for Barnet’ from the 2022/23 financial year, will continue. A further £1.198 million will be provided by the Department for Transport through the Government’s local highways maintenance allocations.
The ‘Improving Barnet’s Roads and Pavements’ programme selects roads and pavements for repair based on an independent condition survey. The council conducts an annual assessment of the borough’s 723km of maintained roads and 1,290km of pavements to determine their state and prioritise those most in need of attention. This approach ensures that the available funding is used effectively to improve safety and accessibility for residents.
Cllr Alan Schneiderman, Barnet Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, emphasised the importance of the investment in maintaining essential services. “It is vital that the council is able to deliver on our commitments and provide services residents rely on,” he said. “Part of this is repairing, maintaining and improving the roads and pavements in our borough, and providing the environmental services that residents expect. This investment will help us achieve this.”
In addition to the planned programme, the council continues to carry out reactive maintenance throughout the year. In 2024 alone, over 4,400 potholes were repaired, many based on reports submitted by residents.
Details of the specific roads and pavements scheduled for improvements under the 2025/26 programme will be published once the final plan is confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Council’s Damage to Highways scheme has saved the council over £1 million since its launch in 2020, allowing it to recoup the cost of repairing damage to pavements caused by building works. Initially launched as a pilot in four wards in September 2020, the scheme was expanded borough-wide in July 2023.
“Delivering on our commitments means maintaining roads, pavements, and essential services. This investment helps us do that.”
-Alan Schneiderman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change
Under this initiative, the council monitors pavements outside properties where construction work is taking place to ensure any damage caused is accounted for. The cost of necessary repairs is then billed to the legal property owners, accompanied by an explanation of the charge.
Cllr Alan Schneiderman highlighted the scheme’s importance in holding those responsible for damage accountable. “We need to ensure those who cause damage to our highway network are held accountable and that costly repairs are passed on to them,” he said. “Were we not to recoup the cost of repairing damage to pavements by building works, these repairs would have to be funded by the council. The Damage to Highways scheme ensures that we maximise our investment in maintaining Barnet’s roads and pavements.”
The council encourages residents and developers to review guidance before commencing any building works to prevent unnecessary damage. Additionally, residents can report any damage they notice to pavements or highways via the dedicated reporting portal at www.barnet.gov.uk/report-it-now.
