KIRKLEES is to get road repairs and improvements totalling £23m.

The money is to be spent on resurfacing, reconstructing roads, improving traffic signals, drainage works, bridge maintenance and improving footpaths.

Money will also be spent on tackling congestion and improving public transport.

Kirklees Cabinet members yesterday backed a capital and business plan covering the next two years which will see the authority spend £3.4m a year on local highway issues .

A further £5.3m of external funding a year will be used to maintain roads, bridges and walls.

And £1m will be used for walking, cycling and public transport schemes each year. Funding for that is expected to come from the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority.

The council will also commit £1.7m a year to street lighting safety works and energy-saving schemes.

Clr Mehboob Khan, leader of Kirklees Council, said: “Over the next two years we are going to be investing more than £20m on our roads, pavements and street lighting and tackling congestion.

“It won’t mean people won’t still have complaints about potholes, but it will arrest the deterioration on our road network.”

Among the improvements are:

£3.8m on road reconstruction of ‘key assets’ including: A616 at Lockwood Road and Huddersfield Road at Honley; Wakefield Road at Dalton; Chapel Hill at Folly Hall and the A6024 Woodhead Road at Honley and Huddersfield Road at Holmfirth.

£2m on road resurfacing at various locations including Dunford Road, Holmfirth; Hollin Hall Lane at Kirkheaton, Deighton Road, Woodhouse Hill at Fartown and Long Lane at Dalton.

Strengthening of Dodlee, Chapel Hill, Dalton Bank Road and Lower Clough bridges.

Every ward being allocated funding for lighting, road and pavement schemes to be identified by ward councillors. Among them are: Almondbury (£73,000), Ashbrow (£59,000), Colne Valley (£117,00), Crosland Moor and Netherton (£90,000), Dalton (£36,000), Denby Dale (£99,000), Golcar (£65,000), Greenhead (£82,000), Holme Valley North (£73,000), Holme Valley South (£113,000), Kirkburton (£106,000), Lindley (£141,000) and Newsome (£4,000)

£165,000 a year for mobile CCTV enforcement for two years.

£202,000 in 2014/15 towards Holmfirth Bus Station improvements.

In the agenda, backed by Cabinet yesterday, funding of £10,000 was also allocated for Public Rights of Way signs and £38,000 for cycle lockers, stands and signs to encourage more people to cycle to and from work.

The council will also be converting traffic lights using energy-efficient LED lights. A two-year programme of £420,000 has been approved for the scheme.