£105 million investment to fix roads, improve buses and connect Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is set to benefit from more than £105 million of new transport investment - delivering better roads, more reliable buses, and safer walking and cycling routes across the city.

The funding, secured from Government through a new and simplified transport settlement, will give the council long-term certainty to plan and deliver improvements that residents will see and feel in their daily lives.

A proposed delivery plan has been set out and if approved by the council's Cabinet next week the funding will be spent on a range of improvements:

Fixing the basics: roads and potholes

At the heart of the programme is a major investment in maintaining and improving the city’s roads:

• £41.5 million for highways maintenance, including large-scale pothole and road defect repairs
• £7.1 million to improve minor roads and local streets, making everyday journeys smoother and safer

This builds on the council’s accelerated programme of road repairs and reflects a clear priority - fixing the basics that matter most to residents.

Better buses and more affordable travel

The investment will also support public transport by:

• Continuing the Affordable Bus Fares scheme, helping keep travel costs down
• Investing £5.1 million in bus infrastructure, including upgraded shelters, expansion of real-time information, and more CCTV

This will mean more reliable services, safer journeys, and better access to jobs, education, and services across the city.

Safer streets and active travel

A further £12 million will be invested in walking and cycling routes, alongside:

• Expanded School Streets schemes
• Safer crossings and junction improvements
• Support for training programmes such as Bikeability

The simple aim is to give people real choice in how they travel, while improving safety and reducing congestion.

A more flexible, long-term plan for the city

The funding - running from April 2026 to March 2030 -  creates a more long-term plan for the city. It is made up of two consolidated streams: an Integrated Transport Fund and a Bus Services Fund. This provides Stoke-on-Trent with greater flexibility than ever before.

Of the total:

• £85.5 million will be invested in capital improvements to roads, junctions and transport infrastructure
• £19.5 million will support ongoing transport services

This flexibility allows the council to prioritise local needs, accelerate ready-to-deliver schemes, and respond to changing demands.

 The programme will also support new housing and employment sites by ensuring infrastructure is delivered alongside development.

A new approach will prioritise infrastructure-first investment, helping ensure that roads, transport links and public realm improvements keep pace with the city’s growth.

Investment is also being made in the transition to cleaner transport, with funding set aside to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Stoke-on-Trent—giving residents more choice to switch to low and zero-emission vehicles. 

The programme also includes funding to begin electrifying the city’s bus fleet, bringing Stoke-on-Trent into line with other major cities while reducing air pollution and cutting carbon emissions.

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, said: “People in Stoke-on-Trent don’t ask for the world - they ask for the basics to work. Roads that aren’t full of potholes. Buses that turn up. Streets that feel safe. This investment is about delivering exactly that.

"We’ve secured more than £105 million to fix our roads, improve bus services, and make everyday journeys easier for working people across our city. It means more repairs, done faster. It means affordable bus travel that people can rely on. And it means safer streets with cleaner air for families, whether they’re driving, walking or cycling.

"Just as importantly, we are making sure new housing is backed by the infrastructure it needs, because growth only works if it works for local people. This is about restoring pride in our city, fixing what’s been neglected after more than a decade of austerity, and building a transport system that finally matches the ambition of Stoke-on-Trent.”

The council’s Cabinet will vote on the proposed delivery plan for the funding when they meet on Tuesday (24 March).