Peterborough Council to Approve One Million Pound Road Repairs
Cabinet Meeting to discuss contract with M Group for resurfacing work after extreme weather damages rural roads
An upcoming meeting at Peterborough City Council will seek approval to award £1 million of highways improvement works to leading infrastructure services provider, M Group.
The Cabinet Meeting, which will be held at Sand Martin House on June 23, will discuss a report authored by Amy Petrie outlining the proposed works order contract:
“This report is seeking approval to direct award a works order up to £1,000,000 to M Group Highways Limited using the Highways Term Service Contract.”
The report goes on to say that the works order is for “the improvement of highway surfaces that are deteriorating due to the effects of extreme weather.”
The council suggests dry summers and drier winters have been the chief cause of the significant cracking and movement seen across the region’s road surfaces, with the greatest impact seen on rural roads (particularly those built on Fenland ground conditions).
Over time, these cracks widen, causing the road surfaces to break away and become increasingly unsafe and expensive to repair.
It is for this reason the council approved a dedicated £1 million Extreme Weather budget within its 2026/27 budget process.
Despite some recent headlines questioning the quality of M Group’s pothole repairs, the council is continuing to use the services offered by the well-known utilities contractor, which already operates under the Peterborough Highways Term Service Contract.
“M Group Highways Limited have a proven track record delivering a broad spectrum of highways works within the city and have built excellent working relationships with both Council officers and local stakeholders,” the report says.
“The combination of experience and collaboration facilitates an effective and efficient working environment conducive to successful project delivery.”
Cllr Angus Ellis, Cabinet Member for Transport, told the the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the council is “fully committed” to working with partners, including M Group, to prevent potholes through its annual planned Capital programme of works.
“We currently have good turn around on pothole repairs in Peterborough, with over 2,431 potholes repaired by the end of February, which was around 1,000 more than reported to us,” he said.
The councillor added:
“I would also point out that the proposed works order being discussed by Cabinet next week is not directly for pothole repairs.
“This report is proposing the authority repairs general road surfaces that have suffered from the effects of drier winters and warmer summers in recent years.”
Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Meeting is scheduled to take place at 4pm on Tuesday, June 23.