£1.9-MILLION plans to tackle the pothole crisis on West Devon’s roads have been given a cautious welcome.

As part of a £1.9m programme of work announced by Devon County Council last week, the Okehampton area will get nearly £34,000.

The Hatherleigh and Chagford areas have been allocated more than £47,400.

The money will be added to £41.1m already set aside by Devon County Council to tackle potholes on the county’s network of roads.

The amount of money given to each area has been calculated using pothole frequency data.

But Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for highway management, said: ‘While the additional money from the Pothole Action Fund is welcome, it won’t stretch as far as we would like.

‘The shortfall in funding from central government for our roads means that minor, rural roads are continuing to deteriorate.’

Okehampton rural county councillor Kevin Ball said: ‘I’m really pleased with the additional money — any extra money is always welcome.

‘Rural shire counties are always up against it really, and the fact that we have got the second largest road network in the country is a difficulty that we face. There are potholes all over my patch.’

Cllr Ball advised people to use the county’s new electronic system for reporting road problems at new.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/

He said: ‘This gives you a reference number which helps us local members keep tabs on cases.’

Once a finalised pothole programme has been agreed later this year, it will be published on the county council’s web pages — devon.gov.uk — and work will be completed this financial year.