£104,000 boost to help manage local roads

Rochdale council will be given more than £100,000 to help them manage repairs to roads, bridges and streetlights.

The cash, part of a £3.3m fund to help councils across the North West organise their assets, will cover the period from now until March 2010.

As part of the package, Rochdale will receive £104,200.

Transport Minister Paul Clark said the cash would help councils gather important information on their streetlights, bridges, roads and other assets, in order to manage them as effectively as possible.

It is being paid in response to bids from local authorities across the region.

Mr Clark said: “High-quality local highways are vital to communities — connecting people with work, shops, services, families and friends.

“I am very pleased at the extremely high level of interest from local authorities in this funding. It demonstrates a real understanding of the importance of asset management in delivering a good service to the public.”

Cabinet member for Highways and Infra-structure, Councillor Mark Alcock said: “The announ-cement that we are to get the extra money will allow us to develop a more effective plans and programs for Oldham and gather important information on the road network, which keeps us moving.”