The local highways maintenance Challenge Fund enables local highway authorities in England to bid for major maintenance projects that are otherwise difficult to fund through the usual formula funding allocations they receive from government.
In 2015 tranche 1 was launched and, with additional schemes added in the summer of 2015, 34 schemes were funded, awarded £285 million in total. In autumn 2017, tranche 2A awarded £75 million to 19 projects following a further competition.
The latest tranche of the challenge fund (2B) will be available to spend from FY2020/21, with a total of £98 million DfT funding available to applicants submitting a single bid per authority. Submissions are limited to applicants seeking a maximum £5 million contribution towards a local maintenance scheme(s).
Warwickshire's Historic Bridge Maintenance Programme
Warwickshire County Council's Challenge Fund Bid (2B) proposes to undertake an extensive Historic Bridge Maintenance Programme (HBMP) over the period 2020 to 2023. It comprises of eight major bridge maintenance schemes on scheduled ancient monuments and/or listed building structures that support Warwickshire's Transport Network. The proposed structures include:
- A425/004 Castle Bridge, Warwick
- A428/002 Bretford Bridge, Rugby
- A3400/37 Clopton River Bridge, Stratford-upon-Avon
- B4085/006 Bidford on Avon River Bridge, Bidford-on-Avon
- B4117/001 Cole End River Bridge, Coleshill
- C33/001 Baginton Mill Bridge, near Coventry
- C46/005 Binton Bridge South, Welford-on-Avon
- C53/017 Honington Bridge, Shipston-on-Stour
Submitted to the Department for Transport on 31 October 2019, it is estimated that the total programme cost will be £6.3 million and part-funded by the local authority. Works to these structures will focus on the significantly deteriorated and damaged stonework of these predominantly multi-span arch structures, that date as far back as the 14th Century.
Any further information or news on Warwickshire's bid will be advertised here in the future.
Warwickshire's bid documents are as follows:
- Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund Tranche 2B Proforma Summary (PDF, 137 KB)
- Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund Tranche 2B Application Form (PDF, 325 KB)
- WCC Submission letter (PDF, 45 KB)
- HBMP Appendices (PDF, 2.5 MB)
View the Department for Transport's webpage on the Challenge Fund