Money to repair Exmouth's roads remains secure

COUNTY Highways chiefs have welcomed Government promises that they will receive �3.6 million to repair the county's potholes.

The Department for Transport has confirmed that the money, part of a �100 million announced by the previous Government in March, will not be cut by the coalition.

Devon County Council is currently carrying out a �7million programme of repairs on its 8,000-mile highway network to deal with the damage caused by the harsh winter.

This has seen 70,000 potholes filled since the start of the year - more than 30,000 of those since April.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, cabinet member for Highways said: "It is reassuring that we are still going to receive this funding.

"...but it won't go that far in addressing the full extent of the damage.

"This will fund smaller, cost effective schemes that will protect more of our network rather than the very worst sections of road that may require complete reconstruction.

"We're now seeing new potholes appear on parts of the network that were damaged but not previously potholed. We're responding to the concerns of the travelling public and making our roads as safe as possible."

The funding is on the condition that it will be spent where it can be proven the roads were damaged by the winter rather than existing defects.

The council filled 85,000 potholes during the last financial year four times the amount normally fixed.

Road damage can be reported online at www.devon.gov.uk