A PITTED road near Stroud is to be resurfaced in the coming months due to the axing of the final stages of HS2.

Main Road in Ruscombe is among the routes in Gloucestershire which will be improved.

Gloucestershire County Council is set to benefit to the tune of £5.6m over the next two years for highways repair work.

This extra funding was allocated to Shire Hall after the Government’s decision to cancel the Manchester and East Midlands Parkway legs of the planned high-speed 2 rail line.

GCC leader Mark Hawthorne told cabinet meeting last Wednesday, November 22 that this means the authority has already “had a dollop of money” which can go towards road schemes in Gloucestershire

“The extra money is being released following the Government’s decision to not continue with some of the final stages of HS2," he said.

“That £8.3bn that the Government has redistributed across the country. That means we are receiving an extra £2.8m. Money we need to spend in this financial year and another £2.8m next year.

“Officers have been frantically working out how we can deliver that £2.8m in the best way. I’m pleased to announce that we are going ahead with a grand total of eight resurfacing schemes before the financial year ends.”

The list also includes Aston Magna in Batsford.

Chief executive Pete Bungard punched the air in celebration as the list was read out and remarked that one of the roads to be resurfaced is his journey into work.

Cllr Hawthorne explained that the authority is in talks with contractors Tarmac and officers are working on what routes they would be able to spend next year’s £2.8m on.

“As you can imagine, suddenly having the very good news of the £2.8m you’ve got to find the schemes you think you can deliver. That’s overall excellent news and I’m sure it will be welcomed by those areas.”

Extra roads to be resurfaced before April are as follows:

The Park, Cheltenham

Suffolk Square, Cheltenham

Aston Magna, Batsford

Limes Road, Kemble to Kemble Wick

Gloucester Road, Hartpury

Bourton Road and Kemble Road, Tuffley

Main Road, Ruscombe

Evesham Road, Toddington