North Yorkshire County Council will be able to carry out what it calls its biggest ever programme of highway maintenance with an extra £3.9 million in government funding.

In total, the Department for Transport has awarded the county £52.6 million to improve roads, pathways, cycle routes and to carry out infrastructure projects.

When the lockdown is lifted fully the council believes it will be in the best possible position to help people get back to work.

The council has drawn up more than 500 individual schemes across North Yorkshire with patching, surface dressing and resurfacing on the agenda.

Some of the locations include Gristhorpe Bypass, Filey, Leeds Road in Harrogate and several locations in Richmond.

Councillor Don Mackenzie, the Executive Member for Access, said:

All the works will be undertaken while observing the Government’s social distancing measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19.

Earlier this week, the Government announced a £250 million emergency active travel fund as the first stage of a £2 billion investment.

The money will make improvements for cycling and walking such as wider pavements, safer junctions, and cycle and bus-only corridors.

Full details of how much will be allocated to each local authority are yet to be revealed, but councillor Mackenzie said: “We are already working on proposals with regard to this funding and hope to have more information in the near future.”