RESIDENTS are being urged to give their views on how Darlington Borough Council should spend an extra £2.5m on improving roads and pavements.

The council is planning to spend the money, as well as its usual road maintenance budget, on problems on roads and pavements.

In order to prioritise what areas need work, the council is asking residents to nominate places where they think the money should be spent.

The project also coincides well with the council's scheme to pedestrianise the town centre.

Councillor Nick Wallis, the council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The state of the roads and pavements in the borough has improved in the last five years, but we know more could be done.

"We have listened to residents' concerns about roads and pavements and made this extra £2.5m available.

"This money is in addition to the £2m spent annually on highway maintenance."

Leaflets are being delivered to every home in the borough detailing the scheme and asking for suggested places for improvements.

Residents are being asked to tell the council what work needs to be done in their neighbourhood by filling out a form on the leaflet and returning it to them via a freepost address. Once the suggestions have been received, the council's highways department will decide which areas will receive funding and it is hoped work will start by the end of the year and continue into 2007.

The £2.5m will pay for minor repairs, improved road drainage, repairs to cracked pavements, potholes and kerbs and tidy up grassed areas.

Although these problems do not pose a danger to the public, they are unattractive and make getting around the town more difficult for some people.

Information about the areas that have been chosen and how the work is progressing will be put in the council's monthly Town Crier magazine and on the council's website, www.darlington.gov.uk

Anyone who does not receive a leaflet within the next few days or wishes to find out more about the project can call the council on (01325) 380651.