A new £6 billion investment for local authorities to tackle potholes on roads in their area has been announced by the government.

The Department for Transport has unveiled a new five-year investment that will see councils across England able to secure a cumulative £976 million a year between 2015 and the end of the decade. This money will be available for the bolstering of local roads maintenance efforts and for tackling the ongoing blight of potholes in many parts of the country.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "Roads play a significant part in everyday life. Poorly maintained local roads, blighted by potholes, are a menace to all road users, particularly during the festive period as people travel to see family and friends.

"The £6 billion funding I am announcing … will put an end to short-term fixes and will mean we have committed £10 billion between 2010 and 2021. This huge investment is part of our long-term economic plan to ensure we have a transport network fit for the 21st century."

He added that this latest announcement boosts the government's commitment to delivering a major upgrade to the nation's transport network, with the coalition having spent more than £1 billion more on improvements to and the maintenance of the UK's roads than during the previous parliament.

In addition to this latest £6 billion government investment, councils are also being given the chance to boost their budgets through a further £578 million cash pot for those local authorities that are able to demonstrate the best levels of value for money from the funding they have already received.

It is hoped that by incentivising the best possible use of government funds for pothole repairs, councils will be able to remove upwards of 18 million potholes that are currently blighting the nation's carriageways.

Potholes can be especially common in areas where roads maintenance funding has been lacking in recent years, with many councils having had to cut back on this area of expenditure as a result of the economic downturn and subsequent years of austerity.

With the economic recovery for the whole of the UK now appearing to take hold, it is hoped that measures to both tackle existing pothole problems and to safeguard against further outbreaks will now be put in place across the country.

Indeed, achieving smoother, safer roads will help businesses and communities to reduce the likelihood of suffering vehicle damage, which, in turn, will help deliver a stronger financial recovery for all areas in the years ahead.

Responding to the announcement, director of public services for Mouchel Infrastructure Services Matthew Lugg stated: "Councils who think about long-term planning and how they work together to share their resources, achieve greater economies of scale and keep the road surface in good repair, ensuring value for money for the taxpayer."