A £30m programme to renew vital transport infrastructure including roads, streetlights, and bridges has been agreed by Lancashire County Council's cabinet.



It includes £23m to resurface roads and tackle potholes following the damage caused by long spells of wet and cold weather over the winter.

Over £10m of this has been set aside for work to fix potholes, carry out minor repairs and prevent potholes occurring, which includes £2m to address problems on 47 residential roads where potholes are occurring most frequently. A further £8m is being invested in maintaining the busiest routes, with 68 schemes to renew A, B and C roads.

County Councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Lancashire's roads are vital to our economy, ensuring people and goods can travel efficiently, and it's essential that we prioritise funding accordingly to keep them in good condition.

"The weather this winter has been worse than average, which is why we've been dealing with so many potholes over recent months. We know that good roads are a priority for residents and businesses which is why we have put £10m into this year's budget to fix potholes, as well as make structural repairs which will help to prevent them appearing in the first place.

"This maintenance programme will extend the life of our roads and entirely replace some of the most worn-out surfaces. We'll also be patching many small sections where areas of potholes have appeared over the winter, with the warmer weather allowing us to make good quality repairs and minimise the need for repeat visits in the same locations."

The repairs are being made in line with a 15-year plan to improve the health of Lancashire's highway infrastructure which focuses on using survey data to decide when it's the best time to carry out preventative maintenance, before more expensive repairs or replacement are needed.

The programme also includes £1m to prevent flooding by upgrading and maintaining drainage systems, as well as £0.5m for schemes to improve road safety, and £0.5m for cycle safety.

County Councillor Iddon added: "The flooding which has affected the county at times over recent years mean that it's more important than ever that our drainage systems are well-maintained and working to full capacity.

"We're also continuing to make our roads safer, and a number of schemes will be delivered to prevent collisions and improve junctions and pedestrian crossing facilities to make it easier for people to walk and cycle."