Hertfordshire County Council will double the number of potholes fixed and protect roads from damage before next winter using new multi-million-pound funding.

The allocation of nearly £4 million from the Government’s Pothole Fund will fund up to 20,000 additional pothole repairs across the county, taking the total of repairs to an expected 40,000 this year.

The council will also replace or protect existing surfaces on hundreds of roads across Hertfordshire to extend their lifespan and head off thousands of further potholes from developing. This will see more than one million square metres of road treated – the equivalent of 140 football pitches.

Road surfaces across the country, including in Hertfordshire, have suffered exceptional damage this year due to snow and ice during the winter followed by heavy rainfall in the spring, resulting in an increase in potholes.

The council said it was taking action over the warmer months to fix and prevent potholes county-wide, drawing on all the evidence we have on priority areas to target its activity where it is most needed.

Hertfordshire has also recently benefited from the Government’s Safer Roads Fund with £1.8 million allocated for improvements to the A5183 between Markyate and the junction with the M1 designed to reduce the risk of collisions which will in turn help cut congestion, journey times and emissions.

This is in addition to £102 million being spent on more than 1,000 maintenance and improvement schemes across Hertfordshire’s 3,200 miles of roads and 3,500 miles of pavements and cycleways this year.

Planned works for the current year include repairs and maintenance to pavements, roads, bridges and traffic signals, as well as improvements such as tackling safety problems, reducing traffic congestion, and making walking and cycling more practical and attractive. It also includes £7m for smaller schemes that county councillors have identified as important for their areas.

Cllr Phil Bibby, Executive Member for Highways and Transport, said: “We know that the condition and safety of the county’s road, pavements and cycleways really matter to our residents, and it matters to us too. We’ve got some of the best roads in the country and our teams are working hard to repair the damage caused by the winter weather.

“We are prioritising work where it most needed and where it will have the greatest impact. This investment will make a real difference and help us to do even more to ensure Hertfordshire has the infrastructure our communities need.”