Schemes designed to improve the environment on Cumbria’s highways are set to get a £1.2m boost.

Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet approved the cash boost yesterday as part of the its medium term financial plan 2021/22 to 2025/26.

It will be considered by the full council on February 18.y.

Each of Cumbria's six local committees will receive £200,000 allocated to and will be asked to work with town and parish councils to draw up a list or priorities to make full use of the extra funding.

It will be used for verge maintenance and biodiversity improvements, tree maintenance and replacement and for footpath improvement.

Cllr Peter Thornton, Cumbria County Council Deputy Leader, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to approve more than a million pounds of funding for vital environmental improvements in our communities.

The council is really focused on making our communities safer and greener, and these schemes will help with that.

We want to work with our communities and councils at a local level to draw up a list of schemes and make the best possible use of this additional funding.”