NORTH Yorkshire is to get more than £3 million of Government cash to help pay for repairing potholes - and council chiefs say they are hoping for more funding.

The Department for Transport has confirmed the region's share of a £183 million "exceptional funding" pot for road repairs following the wettest winter on record will be £3.2 million. North Yorkshire County Council is now waiting to hear whether they will receive an additional roads boost from a £200 million pothole repair fund announced in this week's Budget.

Council leader John Weighell last month wrote to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin asking the Government to help with repair costs, particularly to minor roads. Coun Gareth Dadd, executive member for highways, said he believed this approach and support from North Yorkshire MPs had played a "significant part" in securing the funding, saying: "This financial support is very welcome indeed.

“North Yorkshire has one of the biggest highways networks in the country, and is facing a bill running into hundreds of millions of pounds if it is to bring all its roads up to standard. While these funds are relatively small by comparison, they are a significant step along the way and we are very pleased to have been awarded them.”

The county council has set aside £5 million from its own reserves for road repairs in 2014/15.