IMPROVEMENTS and repairs will be made to 53 local road routes across Cornwall — from Penzance and The Lizard to Bude and Looe — after Cornwall Council successfully secured £5-millon in funding from the Department for Transport (DfT).

Local routes — the more frequently used B, C and U roads known as the 3A network — are set to benefit from the funding boost, which largely focus on maintenance work.

Cornwall Council’s head of highways and infrastructure, Andy Stevenson, said: “These are strategically important roads that connect places and people, but also ensure businesses and local economies are supported. This funding will see maintenance programmes, renewal of the carriageway, footways or cycleways and improved drainage – it’s an investment in ensuring our roads have better longevity.”

The council’s bid, announced by the DfT, saw Cornwall secure the maximum amount of money available from the DfT’s Local Highway Maintenance Challenge Fund, with work expected to be completed within a year.

In the Post area, the areas being improved are: Whitstone to Bevills Hill, Wilsworthy Cross and Cherry Cross, (all B3254), Delabole Post Office to Rockhead (B3314), Marshgate to Tresparret Posts (CO270), Halgabron Corner, Trethevy (B3263), St Stephens Hill, Launceston (CO150) and Peppershill near Launceston (B3254).

Councillor Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for transport, also welcomed the funding, saying: “We know how important our roads are to people in Cornwall. Improving the condition of the local road network was one of the main themes highlighted in last year’s residents’ survey.

“Last autumn we announced an additional £2.9-million for more than 1,800 road safety and drainage schemes which have now been completed and we are now well into work on our Growth Deal funded highway schemes at Bodmin, Carkeel, Tolgus, Treluswell and Truro.

“While we continue to work with ever dwindling budgets, we will continue to look to alternative ways of funding road improvements such as these, which we know are so vital to keeping Cornwall moving.”

The Conservative MP for North Cornwall, Scott Mann, is also pleased, adding: “The government continues to invest large sums of money in Cornwall, which I hugely welcome.

“The county has a huge rural road network which endures a lot of adverse weather and handles a lot of tourist and heavy goods traffic, which means maintenance is essential.

“On top of the £26-million awarded to Cornwall this year for maintenance and improvements, this extra £5-million has been awarded for a number of schemes around the county and I look forward to seeing the work take shape in the constituency.”