HAMPSHIRE’S roads are set for a new £1.5million funding boost to help tackle potholes.

The county council has been awarded the money as part of a £27.6million package to improve road surfaces across Hampshire.

Southampton’s roads will also be given a £1.7million funding boost, of which £100,000 has been sidelined specifically for potholes.

It comes as part of a £200 million funding boost which is due to be announced today by the Department of Transport.

The money will be split between councils across England, to be used in improving road surfaces.

The Department for Transport say the money is enough to “resurface a road between London and Budapest”.

Of the total funding boost, councils in the south east have been given more than £33 million for road maintenance, to reward them for best practice.

In total for maintenance and repairs during 2019/20, the region will be provided with more than £153million.

Hampshire’s £27.6 package is the second highest in the south east, behind Kent, which will be awarded more than £28 million in total.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Every motorist knows that potholes have been a problem in the last few years.

“That is why the government is continuing to step up its funding to local authorities to address this.

“It is now up to highways authorities to innovate and use new technologies to solve the problem.”

The funds come from the £6.6 billion the government is providing in the six years to 2021 to improve local roads.

As part of the government’s work to prevent potholes in the future, the Department for Transport will fund early stage research into new surface materials or pothole repair techniques, such as 3D printing.

A digital hub will also be set up for experts to share and develop innovations.