WIRRAL West MP Esther McVey is today urging the council to bid for new Government funding for pothole repairs.

The £168 million Pothole Fund, announced in chancellor George Osborne's budget earlier this month, has today opened for bids from councils, with applications closing next month.

The funding will be used to repair more than three million potholes across Britain. It comes on top of £10 billion already given to councils in England for local roads maintenance between 2010 and 2012.

Authorities who get funding will have to sign a pothole pledge setting out clearly how many potholes they will fix by March next year so that local communities can have confidence that action will be taken.

Ms McVey said: "One of the biggest issues constantly being raised by my constituents is the state of roads in Wirral West.

"When it comes to pothole repairs and resurfacing programmes it seems that Wirral West comes way down the line with the council.

"This funding is a great opportunity to improve the roads in Wirral West and deal with the blight of potholes and Wirral Council needs to step up and bid for this money.

"There can be no more excuses from the council for not helping the people of Wirral and I will be checking with the treasury when they have submitted their bid to ensure the best service is delivered for the people of Wirral."