Pothole trouble spots across Oxford will be targeted in the coming weeks, with cash from the Government for road improvements.

Work to repair 20 roads in the city has already begun and is to continue until the beginning of March.

Andrew Burchett, technical support manager for Oxford City Council's City Works department, said: "This is the first year in a rolling programme of extensive carriageway repairs and resurfacing work in the city."

A similar amount of work was expected to be done next year, he said.

Richard Dix, assistant director for highway management at Oxfordshire County Council, said the Government had given the county £85m to implement a five-year local transport plan, covering issues ranging from cutting casualties on the county's roads to long-term road maintenance and promoting the use of public transport.

This financial year, the county council received £18.5m and has set aside £10.5m for highway maintenance -- £5.5m more than it had available to spend on the roads the previous year.

On top of the specific Government grant, the county council is also investing £2.5m more from its revenue budget on highways.

Mr Dix said the revenue budget money would be used to fund short-term work, such as weeding, grass-cutting and unblocking drains.

Of the extra available for spending on roads this year, the county council has given the city £700,000 to improve minor roads in Oxford.

Mr Dix said: "Across the county, we will be able to spend £8m more this financial year than we did during the last on maintaining roads and pavements.

"The county council hopes there is still going to be more money in the future than there has been in the previous five or six years when highway spending was very low."

The news has been welcomed by William Street resident Colin Peach, who has spent nearly ten years complaining to the city council about the state of the street in New Marston, Oxford.

Resurfacing work in William Street is due to start on Monday, January 21. Mr Peach said: "Back in 1990, William Street was resurfaced and one of the contractors told me then that the work would not last five minutes because the road had no proper substructure.

"The frost and rain that we have had recently is just lifting rocks from under the surface.

"The council fills the holes in, which then sink, break up, and are re-filled again, so you end up with holes within holes."

Marston ward councillor Mary Clarkson said the state of William Street was hazardous for cyclists, particularly in wet weather when the holes filled with water.

The other roads due to be repaired are: Becket Street and Osney Lane, off Park End Street; Mill Street, Lamarsh Road, and Binsey Lane, off Botley Road; Meadow Lane, off Donnington Bridge Road; Bayswater Road service roads in Barton; Gloucester Street, off Beaumont Street; Claymond Road, Barton; Brampton Road, Wilcote Road, Ilsley Road, Barton Village Road, Green Road, North Way and Bernwood Road in Barton; and Godstow Road, Wolvercote.