COUNCIL bosses have set aside £2m for repairs to crumbling roads and footpaths in the tourist capital of the north.

The cash will be targeted at unclassified minor roads and residential streets in York - which make up almost 70 percent of the city's roads - as well as footpaths.

Although York's roads compare well with roads nationally, a report by highways officials said the council needed to maintain the unclassified road network to address residents' concerns over the state of the roads.

The money is to be split equally between roadways and footpaths, in 40mph speed limit areas, and should cut the number of compensation claims the Labour-controlled council faces.

"It is anticipated that investment in the unclassified network will result in a decrease in the number of defects such as potholes being recorded and further reduction in complaints and third party claims for damage against the council," the report said.

Liberal Democrat councillor Ann Reid dubbed the plan "too little too late" after wider cuts in roads funding, and said many more roads in her area were in desperate need of repairs.

But the cabinet member for finance and performance, Counr Dafydd Williams, said the council administration could not be criticised for cutting highways spending when it was dealing with a 46 per cent cut in funding from the coalition government.