TWO million pounds have been set aside for repairs to York's crumbling minor roads and footpaths, but opposition councillors have criticised the scheme as "too little too late".

The City of York Council's cabinet approved the cash, which comes from the council's capital funding, at its meeting on Tuesday evening.

The cash will be targeted at the unclassified minor roads and residential streets 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 told the cabinet members the council needs to maintain the unclassified road network to address residents' concerns over the state of the roads.

"The result of the Big York Survey indicates residents' concerns as to the condition of the unclassified carriageways and footways assets," it said.

The £2 million is to be split equally between roadways and footpaths, in 40mph speed limit areas, and should cut the number of compensation claims the 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.

Woodthorpe and Dringhouses ward is in line for £243,200 of repairs, the second highest of any ward in the city behind Westfield, which has been allocated £358,550 for repairs.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Woodthorpe and Dringhouses 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 Cllr Dafydd Williams, Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance and the ward councillor for Westfield, said the council administration could not be criticised for cutting highways spending when it was dealing with a 46 percent cut in funding from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government.