£170m boost for Welsh highways

The Welsh finance minister has announced plans to help councils borrow up to £170m to fund road improvements.

Jane Hutt added that the Welsh government will publish an infrastructure investment plan as the government acts to use public spending to combat the economic downturn.

Hutt said the plan, due to be published in the Spring, would identify and publish the details of large, nationally significant infrastructure projects - such as important transport schemes and next generation broadband.

It will identify the government's top priority schemes which have the potential to start work during the next one to three years.

Hutt said: "I want to provide stability and certainty for the private sector, not just now but for the years to come.

"The funding I have announced today will help to do this by supporting up to 1,000 jobs a year in construction and related activities over the next two years.

"We also need to do more to help local authorities maintain prudent levels of borrowing and investment. We have been working closely with local government to develop an initiative to boost borrowing over the next few years."