A LEADING businessman and prospective parliamentary candidate has pledged to press the Government to invest more in maintaining rural roads.

Kevin Hollinrake, who will contest the Thirsk and Malton constituency, which includes much of the North York Moors, at the next general election said his entrepreneurial experience had taught him the value of good transport links.

Mr Hollinrake, who is managing director of North Yorkshire-based Hunters, the UK’s fastest-growing independent estate agency network, made the vow after viewing the results of a recent road maintenance scheme completed in Knayton and Borrowby, near Thirsk.

The work was part of £50m of works being carried by North Yorkshire County Council after securing extra Government funding.

Last year, councillors revealed the cost of bringing the county's roads back to a high standard could be as high as £440m unless urgent action was taken to stop the decline.

Mr Hollinrake said: "Rural businesses need road networks and broadband speeds that allow them to compete with businesses in urban areas.

"This is vital to help to our local economy prosper, which in turn creates well-paid jobs for young and old.

"If elected, I shall lobby very hard, in conjunction with the county council and other local MPs, for the funding that rural areas really deserve."