MORE than £60m is to be spent on Oxfordshire's transport system, it was announced tonight.

The cash was unveiled by the Department for Transport as part of so-called local transport settlements for 2008 to 2011.

Oxfordshire County Council will receive £39m to maintain roads and £24m to develop transport projects like increased street lighting, improved park-and-ride facilities and better cycle lanes.

A further £4.4m will fund road safety measures.

County Hall will decide exactly how the money is spent.

Recent projects part-funded by transport settlements include the reconstruction of Oxford's Green Road roundabout in Headington - nicknamed the Hamburger roundabout - to reduce traffic congestion and improve bus reliability.

The three-year allocations have replaced annual grants to give councils greater certainty to plan their spending.

Across the South East, councils have been promised a total of £649m to improve local transport.