A GOVERNMENT cash boost for road repairs worth more than £2million to Lancashire county and Blackburn with Darwen councils has sparked a political row.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said it would make a real difference to drivers, but Labour politicians said the money was ‘too little too late’.

Lancashire county, responsible for roads in Hyndburn, Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Ribble Valley and Chorley, will receive £2,279,110.

Blackburn with Darwen, in the middle of a £17.5 million four-year road network road recovery programme, gets £171,935.

Councils in the North West will receive £13.1 million out of a national £183.5 million pot confirmed in this Wednesday’s budget, After the wettest winter on record, the Department of Transport said the money would repair 3.3million potholes across the country.

Mr McLoughlin said: “Damage to roads causes misery for drivers and local communities and the severe weather has made the problem worse.

“This extra money will help make a real difference to millions of road users, giving them safer and smoother journeys.”

Lancashire county highways boss John Fillis said: “For the Government to propose that £140million for the entire country could even scratch the surface of the work that needs doing is completely out of touch with the reality on the ground.

“It is too little too late.”

Blackburn with Darwen finance chief Andy Kay said: “The money will be added to our Network Recovery Programme. The scale of that shows this extra cash is just a drop in the ocean.”