ROADS, junctions and bridges are all set to be sponsored as county council bosses look for new ways of paying for repairs.

Lancashire County Council has given permission for a marketing firm to begin canvassing local and national businesses.

The money raised will be used to repair roads as well as environmental initiatives.

Several local councils including Chorley have, in the past, arranged for firms to have small adverts on roundabouts if the companies paid for floral displays on them.

Now Preston has agreed to hand over the marketing of the scheme to Mediasign, a West Midlands firm which already finds sponsors for other local authorities.

Preston City Council, which will soon be launching new signs recognising its city status, has welcomed the deal.

"The city gets new signs and extra money to improve roads and road safety while local companies get the chance to promote themselves and celebrate their links with Preston," said councillor Andy Campbell, executive member for environment and sustainability.

But South Ribble Borough Council will not be working with Mediasign. The council's highways manager Rachel Crompton, said: "We had previously agreed to work with our own media company.

"We want to link not just highway signs but also the other areas of the council's activities to the community related events that are looking for sponsorship from local business."

The AA has also raised concerns about the safety of advertising and cited a bus in Cardiff that had a picture of a semi-naked woman that caused a number of men to crash their cars!

Lancashire County Council said: "We will ensure the advertising meets strict guidelines and does not create problems for motorists, such as obscuring views."