Millions of pounds could be ploughed into improving Copeland’s roads – with Homewood Road, outside the West Cumberland Hospital, top of the list.

Over the next five years at least, more than £3 million is set to be invested across the borough fixing potholes, rebuilding and resurfacing.

Around £884,000 has been earmarked to fix the “deteriorating” Homewood Road in four phases, and work could start this year.

Works for 2017/18 will be decided at a county council cabinet meeting later this month.

“Homewood Road has been an ongoing problem for a long, long time,” Mirehouse councillor Mike Hawkins told a meeting of Copeland’s Local Committee last week. “It will be really welcomed by the whole of Copeland. The road is really deteriorating and in desperate need, so residents around that area will appreciate the work being done.”

Frank Morgan, chairman of the local committee, said: “We need to ensure proper, decent access to hospital services, so we need the road in the best condition that we can.”

Other plans include £108,000 for reconstruction at Overend Road; £120,000 at Meadow Road; £101,000 for Whinlatter Road; £92,000 at Coronation Drive, Whitehaven; £87,000 at Redbeck Park, Cleator Moor; £80,000 at Leathwaite, Whitehaven, and £72,000 at Royal Drive, Egremont, while £75,000 has been proposed for work on the Sellafield dual carriageway and £38,000 on Corney Fell.

Keith Little, cabinet member for Highways, said: “The improvement works at Homewood Road will be a great relief to residents and the wider local community who rely on access to the West Cumberland Hospital. This road has been in need of improvements for some time and I am delighted that works will soon begin to resurface the carriageway.”