AN EXTRA £2.5 million will be ploughed into repairing ugly potholes, divots and cracks in Worcestershire’s roads network, it has emerged.

The county council is preparing its biggest ever investment into highways after feedback from residents said it should be the biggest priority after social care.

The cash, which will last until 2015, is on top of the £3.2 million of funding from central Government for roads maintenance during the next two financial years.

During surveys last year public satisfaction over the county’s highways was as low as 42 per cent despite multi-millions going on pothole repairs in recent years.

Councillor Adrian Hardman, county council leader, said: “The people of the county have told us it was their second main priority so we will be making considerable investments on it.”

Of the £2.5 million, £500,000 will go into the roads infrastructure budget, which helps towards the rolling maintenance programme across the county.

The remaining £2 million of taxpayer cash will be available for when councillors flag up roads or footpaths of concern from residents.

An additional £2 million will also be put toward flooding alleviation work in Worcestershire.