Barnsley Council cabinet is set to consider proposals for a major £18.289 million investment in the borough’s highway network for 2026/27. This investment is part of our ongoing work to maintain and improve the highway network, which includes roads, footways, street lights, bridges and traffic signals.

The Highways Capital Programme 2026/27 outlines how the council will deliver structural and preventative maintenance to keep Barnsley’s roads safe, resilient and fit for the future. 

This year’s programme continues our ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach, helping us address today’s problems while reducing the likelihood of more serious failures in the future. 

The programme includes £9.397 million investment in the Highway Maintenance Programme, covering works such as resurfacing, patching, footway improvements, drainage works, street lighting and road signs. 

This is supported by £2 million of additional one‑off investment for main roads and side streets, helping address areas where deterioration has accelerated and ensuring communities with higher levels of need benefit from targeted improvements. 

Alongside essential maintenance, the programme also includes £0.967 million for the Highway Improvement Programme, with a further £4.907 million allocated for transport improvement schemes.

These planned upgrades will improve traffic signals to reduce delays and congestion, enhance road safety, make it easier and safer to walk, wheel and cycle, and support better air quality and healthier travel choices. 

This ensures Barnsley’s network is not only maintained but continues to improve to serve residents, businesses and visitors. 

Schemes in the programme are selected using robust data, surveys and professional engineering assessments, ensuring the best use of public money. Regular inspection, monitoring and forward planning means we can target repairs more effectively, reducing costly emergency works later down the line. 

Councillor James Higginbottom, Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment and Highways, said: “We are proud to be delivering more than £18 million into Barnsley’s highways this coming year, because we know this matters to our residents and visitors to Barnsley. This includes an extra £2 million for resurfacing local roads and builds on successive years of investment into our borough’s highway network. Our preventative approach to long-term maintenance, coupled with extra money for immediate pothole repairs now, will help to deliver long-term improvements to our highways. Barnsley Council is delivering significant and sustained investment into repairing our roads, investing in our communities and unlocking economic opportunities for Barnsley.”

If approved, the 2026/27 Highways Capital Programme will be rolled out from April 2026, with detailed plans published on the council’s website. Residents living near specific schemes will be notified directly before work begins. 

PIC-BARNSLEY Council