BORDERS councillors will be asked to approve an additional £2.4 million of funding, to help repair the region’s roads.

The cash has been made available from Scottish Borders Council’s 10 year capital budget plan during a recent review.

And four roads in Peebles have already been earmarked for resurfacing works, including High Street, Rosetta Road, Connor Street and Southpark Drive.

Peeblesshire MP David Mundell has welcomed the decision to increase spending on the region’s roads, but insists the improvements should have been made earlier.

He told us: “Peebles is a major town for tourists and the state of the roads in the town has been in a shocking state for far too long so an increase in spending from the council is welcome.

“However, the roads in Peebles and across the Borders have been deteriorating for far too long now and the council continues to be short changed by the Scottish Government who are cutting their budgets year on year.

“I hope the resurfacing works bring about a significant improvement on these roads in Peebles but the council require a lot more funding before they can be brought up to a fit and proper standard.”

In the council’s budget in February, an extra £2.5m over five years was committed to the region’s roads – a 14 per cent increase on the previous budget.

And this week it was revealed that a further £2.4 million will be used for repairs and resurfacing.

Leader David Parker told the Peeblesshire News: “We have assessed the capital programme at the six month review and have been able to free up £2.4m for roads. We have recognised the need to invest in the network and this seven-figure sum will be a significant commitment on top of the 14 per cent increase to the roads revenue budget.”

Councillor Gordon Edgar, SBC’s spokesman for Roads, added: “Borderers will welcome this proposed injection of funding in roads, which would be used for patching in towns, villages and rural areas, drainage work, resurfacing improvements and bridge repairs following flood damage.

“While the Council continues to be faced with ongoing financial challenges, the ten year capital programme still has considerable investment in other key areas such as new schools, flood defences, sports facilities, visitor attractions, energy efficiency measures and transport infrastructure.”

But the extra money means Peebles is to miss out on a new 3G pitch, after officers were unable to find a suitable site.