£2.5million roads and path funding a '˜great opportunity' for area

Hartlepool Borough Council neighbourhood services committee rubber stamped the spending plan for the money earmarked to resurface carriageways, footpaths and verges in the area.

In total 80 carriageways, verges and footpaths have been identified for funding.

The £2.5million funding is in addition to existing day to day council work and was approved by council bosses in June this year.

Chair of the neighbourhood committee Coun Stephen Akers-Belcher said it is important quality is assured with the work to benefit everyone in the area.

He said: “This is a really good opportunity to address issues with Hartlepool highways.

“I just want to thank everyone that has been involved so far.

“It is a very good time for it and we have got to ensure quality is maintained throughout, it is such a big piece of work.

“It shows when there is a will you can achieve something really positive.

“But because of the enormity of the project we need to make sure we are assured of quality.”

Four carriageways will have more than £100,000 each spent on them, with Mowbray Road, Northgate, Catcote Road, and West View Road having £107,000, £113,340, £146,763 and £166,310 respectively spent on them to improve conditions.

Nine footpaths are also set receive funding, with £21,500 to be spent on Benmore Road and £20,500 on Comrie Road.

Several verge schemes in the borough are also in line for funding, with Kilmarnock Road, near Wynyard Road seeing £33,420 spent on improvements, while Chaucer Avenue will have £22,820 spent on it.

The council is also expecting to have to spend £118,331 on project management and supervision, roughly 5% of the total costs.

The total estimated cost of the project currently stands at £2,485,019, and proposals were unanimously supported by the committee.