Millions of pounds will be ploughed into improving Copeland's roads with the deteriorating route to the West Cumberland Hospital and a busy fell road on the target list.

During the next financial year, the borough will receive just short of £3m to carry out major works on a number of its roads, including fixing potholes, rebuilding and resurfacing.

On the list is the crumbling Homewood Road which leads to the Whitehaven hospital and is scattered with pot holes.

Over the next five years, £884,000 will be invested into the road, with the first phase of work costing £221,000 earmarked to begin in this year's budget.

This will come as welcome news to Hensingham Residents' Group which has been calling for improvements on the "unsafe" road.

The county council's local committee for Copeland pushed through the plans this week, which pinpoint a number of roads in the borough.

This includes Cold Fell Road is set to get a £20,000 windfall for safety improvements.

The road is constantly at the forefront of safety campaigns, with pleas being made to motorists to drive considerably.

Bob Jones, chair of the action group, said safety on the narrow road is a constant worry and in the past few weeks alone four sheep and lambs have been killed and a cow hurt after being hit by cars.

"Any work to improve the safety of the road is welcome," he said. "I would like to chat to Cumbria Highways to understand exactly the details of what they are proposing."

A number of Mirehouse roads are also on track to be improved: Seathwaite Avenue (£40,000); Borrowdale Road (£50,000) and Newlands Avenue (£50,000).

Whitehaven town councillor for Mirehouse Siobhan Gearing has welcomed the news, but said she hopes the works are not a short-term fix.

"Seeing our roads improved is something that should have happened a long time ago," she said. "This is good news for the residents as long as it is a long term improvement, which won't need re-doing again 12 months later."

She added she hoped there would be little disruption to residents' routes while work was taking place.

Of the £2,884,803 allocated to Copeland, £648,803 will go towards "find and fix" maintenance including gully cleansing, street lighting inspections and repairs. The remainder, £2,236,000 will be used for bigger projects.

At a previous local committee, councillor Mike Hawkins, who represents Mirehouse, said Homewood Road has been an ongoing problem for a long, long time.

"It will be really welcome by the whole of Copeland," he said. "The road is really deteriorating and in desperate need so residents around that area will appreciate the work being done."