Sunderland: Cabinet backing for £10.9 million highways programme

Plans for a £10.9 million programme of works to improve and maintain Sunderland’s roads, bridges and transport links have been approved by city leaders.

Sunderland City Council’s cabinet of senior Labour councillors, at a meeting this month (March 26), approved the 2026/27 highway maintenance, bridge maintenance and integrated transport capital programme.

The programme, described by city leaders as “vital for keeping the city moving”, outlines the roads and structures scheduled for repair or renewal, as well as transport projects aimed at improving safety, accessibility and sustainable travel.

More 20mph zones in residential areas are also included in the plan along with improvements to traffic signals, traffic calming and improved traffic enforcement.

As part of its budget for the next 12 months, the council has already allocated a further £1 million for pothole repairs.

Sites across the city will be targeted and priorities for work will be decided by surveys, traffic data, accident reports and feedback from residents and ward councillors.

The new schedule includes re-surfacing programmed for sections of the A182 in Copt Hill and Houghton, A1018 St. Nazaire Way in Hendon and Ryhope, and part of A1231 in Washington.

A list of “principal roads” are also due for resurfacing or other treatment, including Chester Road in the Shiney Row ward, Durham Road in Houghton, Sunderland Road in Southwick and more.

Dozens of unclassified roads are also scheduled for works, including resurfacing and “reconstruction.”

The overall programme will be funded from Government grants and council funding, with £4.5 million in council funding and £6.404 million in external grants.

Councillor Lindsey Leonard, the council’s cabinet member for transport, environment and net zero, introduced a report to cabinet at City Hall last week.

“I just want to stress the importance of the pothole fund and the fact we are increasingly repairing more potholes,” she said.

“We have done 5,200 in the first two months of the year as opposed to 2,000 that we did last year.

“We’re also investing in technology that’s going to increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of those potholes, so we have listened to residents and we’re acting in their interests.”

The list of streets earmarked for works is available to view via Sunderland City Council’s website and detailed locations and dates will be outlined in the coming months.

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