NORTH Shropshire MP Owen Paterson has urged Shropshire Council to make the most of funding received for fixing potholes.

The government's Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Wednesday that it had released the second £500 million of its £2.5 billion five-year fund to councils to fix more roads.

With the West Midlands receiving £54 million, Shropshire has received £9.15 million towards fixing the continued blight of English roads, with Mr Paterson praising the government's latest financial help.

He said: "Road maintenance is one of those things which frequently arises and it is important that we give local authorities the dedicated resource they need to tackle it.

"Often incorrectly regarded as merely an inconvenience, pot-holes can actually be a matter of life and death.

"For two-wheeled vehicles in particular – motorbikes and bicycles – potholes can be extremely dangerous.

"It is good to see that this funding from the Transport Secretary is more than simply a one-off allocation – it is part of a repeat, multi-year package to really tackle this key part of road maintenance on a sustained basis.

"I also welcome the hard work being done by Shropshire Council in this area.

"Councillor Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council's Cabinet member for highways and transport, has been determined to create a lasting plan to tackle pot-holes swiftly and has overseen an unprecedented amount of resurfacing.

"This is good news considering that ice and floods will have taken a toll on roads this winter."

Transport Minister Baroness Vere added: "We know potholes are more than just a nuisance – they can be dangerous to drivers and cyclists alike, and cause damage to thousands of vehicles every year.

"The funding allocated will help councils ensure roads in their area are kept up to standard, and that the potholes that blight road users can be dealt with promptly."