The Government of the UK has invited counties across England to bid for a share of £490m worth of funding, which has been designated for improvements to the country's roadways.

The funding is intended to address traffic congestion issues and upgrade local road systems in a bid to improve journey times. It will be available for the schemes to be carried out between 2018 and 2020.

Counties can bid for a wide range of schemes such as the incorporation of new technologies that would ease traffic congestions, as well as opening up data held by local councils.

The money will be provided by the National Productivity Investment Fund, which is supplying a total of £1.3bn for improvements to transport links in order to increase growth.

UK Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: “We are investing record amounts on our roads: spending more than £23bn on providing better journeys for motorists.

“We are also committing a further £1.3bn up to 2020 to cut congestion and provide important upgrades to ensure our roads are fit for the future.

“This money will allow councils to go even further to improve their roads and will be targeted at areas that need it most, providing a significant boost to the UK’s economy.”

"This money will allow councils to improve their roads and will be targeted at areas that need it most, providing a significant boost to the UK’s economy."

Several councils in England have already carried out some road improvement works using the first tranche of money, which comprised a sum of £185m.

The funds were used for road improvements in Blackpool, as well as the installation of a better access road to the M65 near Blackburn. Refurbishment works were also carried out on the A483 and A55 for the expansion of Chester Business Park.

The money will be used in the south-west for supporting infrastructure growth, and is likely to be used to establish a critical link in the Bridgwater region that would support the construction of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station and housing development in south Bridgwater.

Highways England (HE) will also be spending £220m on congestion relief schemes. The organisation will be providing £90m for pinch point projects in the north, £23m for the Midlands, £53m for the south-east, £32m for the south-west and £16m for the east.

The bid competition is scheduled to run until 30 June.