EXTRA Government funding has been given to Somerset Council to spend on repairing roads over the next four years.

The authority now has nearly £162 million to cover highway maintenance up to 2030, including full resurfacing, surface dressing, pothole repairs, drainage work, and other infrastructure.

But, 29 per cent of the money could be withheld if the council fails to meet performance requirements, such as not carrying out repairs responsively or to a high enough standard.

The Government’s most recent performance data ranked Somerset 26th out of 153 councils.

Somerset executive Cllr Richard Wilkins said: “While we will continue to maintain our road network, we are keen to encourage more people to look at alternatives to the car, whether it is walking, wheeling and cycling, or using public transport.”