LANCASHIRE is to get an extra £5.5 million to help repair and maintain the county road network.

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson welcomed the announcement as good news for local motorists.

The extra cash for Lancashire County Council comes from a £1 billion boost for highways spending announced in Chancellor George Osborne’s recent Autumn Statement on government spending.

Lancashire will receive £5.5 million of this with the North West region getting over £28 million.

The Highways Agency’s pinch point fund, which has already led to 65 vital road improvement schemes across the country removing bottlenecks and reducing congestion, has received a £100 million cash injection along with £170 million to set up a new version of the fund dedicated to local highways.

Mr Stephenson said: “We need a good local road network to support working families and businesses in Pendle and across East Lancashire, helping the area play its part in getting the UK economy back on track.

“That is why I welcome the additional funding for our highways and urge Lancashire County Council to make full use of the funding to make the most of this much needed extra investment.”