A further £100m to help repair potholes and other storm damage in England’s roads has been announced by transport secretary Chris Grayling.

The Department of Transport (DfT) claims the money will help repair almost two million potholes as well as help protect roads from future severe weather.

The funding is in addition to £75m already given to councils from the Pothole Action Fund this year, as well as a £46m boost for highways authorities announced just before Christmas. Grayling said: “People rely on good roads to get to work and to see friends or family.

“We have seen an unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather which has caused damage to our local roads.

“We are giving councils even more funding to help repair their roads so all road users can enjoy their journeys without having to dodge potholes.”

The government is also investing more than £900,000 in innovations using connected vehicles to help councils more efficiently manage and plan maintenance works.

DfT claims these trials will ultimately help provide councils with data to enable them to repair potholes before they occur as well as maintain their other assets more effectively as part of their asset management plans. This will help prevent further potholes and other road defects occurring over time.