The Government has allocated £1.2 billion of roads funding to councils across England to improve safety, repair potholes and cut congestion.

The funding, for the 2017 to 2018 financial year, includes money from the new National Productivity Investment Fund, announced in the Autumn Statement and the Pothole Action Fund. It also includes £75 million which councils can bid for to repair and maintain local infrastructure such as bridges, street lighting and rural roads.

The government has also published further information about what the funding will be spent on.

Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: “Roads play a significant part in everyday life linking people with jobs and businesses with customers, which is why this government is investing record amounts improving and maintaining highways across the country to help motorists.

“The funding we have allocated today is focused on relieving congestion and providing important upgrades to ensure our roads are fit for the future – helping to build an economy that works for everyone.”

In a further effort to reduce the number of potholes the Department for Transport (DfT) will begin a new innovative trial, in partnership with Thurrock and York Councils which could revolutionise the way potholes are identified and managed. A pothole-spotter system, mounted to refuse collection vehicles, comprising of high-definition cameras, integrated navigation system and intelligent software will be deployed to identify road surface problems before they become potholes.

Click here for further information on funding allocations.