Scottish Labour has pledged to fix the “sorry state” of Scotland’s roads with a designated pothole fund.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said the party would establish a new road repair fund worth £350 million over the next five years, enough to fix an estimated 4.8 million potholes.
The party has said councils have had to pay out £4.2 million in compensation between 2019/20 and 2023/24 for damage caused by potholes.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “Scotland needs change after 20 years of SNP government.
“Across Scotland, motorists are paying the price for the SNP’s failure to get the basics right.
“Our roads are in a sorry state, potholes are causing misery every single day, and drivers, families and businesses are left to pick up the bill.”
The funding would be repurposed from the active and sustainable travel budget, while protecting bus infrastructure investment.
Scottish Labour has pledged more preventative maintenance to improve road conditions in the long term.
The party has previously revealed that spending on local roads has fallen by 13% since 2010-11 because of SNP cuts to council budgets.
Mr Sarwar continued: “This is what 20 years of SNP government looks like.
“Crumbling roads, rising repair costs and a government that has turned its back on motorists.
“I’m standing to fix the mess, get the basics right and build a better future for Scotland.
“That means fixing the mess the SNP have made of our roads and ending their war on motorists.
“A Scottish Labour government will invest £350 million to repair nearly five million potholes and make our roads safer for everyone who relies on them.
“On May 7, vote Scottish Labour on both votes to fix the roads and deliver the change Scotland needs.”
SNP candidate for Paisley, George Adam said: “The only people conducting a war on motorists is the Labour UK Government who are refusing to lift a finger to cut fuel duty.
“The Labour Party has been asleep at the wheel in letting petrol prices soar and pumps run dry with Anas Sarwar remaining silent as his London bosses stand by and do absolutely nothing to help Scottish motorists.
“The SNP is clear, if Keir Starmer’s Government won’t act to bring bills down it should get out of the road and hand the powers over to an SNP Scottish Government that will.”
