UP to £100 million could be awarded to Cheshire West and Chester Council to improve ‘Key’ A roads, the Department For Transport has announced.

The Major Roads Network (MRN) consultation, which has now begun, proposes that 5,000 miles of A road are brought into scope for new funding from the National Roads Fund for upgrades and improvements.

Under the proposals in the consultation, each successful bid will be eligible for up to £100 million of government funding under the proposals and will help cut congestion, unlock housing and boost economic growth.

Upgrade schemes which could be considered are bypasses, missing links between existing routes, road widening, major junction improvements and the use of technological and safety enhancements along stretches of the network.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “For decades, these major local roads have been underfunded and not properly maintained.

“We are spending record amounts on improving our roads and we want more of our busiest roads to benefit from guaranteed investment.

“This will unlock no end of benefits for communities by improving motorists’ journeys, taking traffic away from built up areas, as well as enabling new housing to be built and creating jobs.”

CWAC is currently in the middle of the Northwich Transport Strategy, which is expected to be completed in spring 2018.

The strategy is being developed to address traffic congestion issues and support the future housing and regeneration plans for the town and wider urban area.

A Transport Strategy was also completed for Winsford in 2015.

Kristy Littler, CWAC Transport Manager, said: "The council is reviewing the available information and intends to respond to the consultation exercise within the timeframe.

"We will, subject to the outcome of the consultation, review the options and interventions available for the Major Road Network in Cheshire West and Chester and take opportunities to bid for future funding allocations from the National Roads Fund to improve our network to support road users, economic growth, housing and reduce congestion."

It is planned that a review of the MRN will mirror the planned investment in the strategic road network – motorways and large A roads managed by Highways England.

Under the proposals, road upgrades will be developed by councils and, where possible, sub-national transport bodies – a regional body that influences funding decisions such as Transport for the North.

From 2020 the National Roads Fund will be paid for by Vehicle Excise Duty, which raised about £6 billion last year.

The consultation on the A roads that will make up the MRN began on December 23 and will last for 12 weeks.