A total of £2.3m will be allocated this coming year to re-surfacing, surface dressing and road markings across the Highland network and £0.4m to bridges in Sutherland (Kylesku) and Lochaber (A884 Achnagavin).

The investment is possible due to the approval in December 2015 of an additional £24.520m for roads, bridges and piers to be included in the Capital Plan.

The 10-year plan, which will fund some £900m of projects, will now form the basis of a future rolling programme of capital investment. It will be updated at least annually to allow for new projects to be considered in future years.

The council’s community services committee also approved the purchase of a “Jetpatcher” with £150,000 from the capital programme, following trials with neighbouring Local Authorities. Over a 10 year period the cost of purchase and in house delivery will provide a saving against the contracted cost of “jetpatching”.

Chair of the development and infrastructure committee, Cllr Audrey Sinclair, said: “The additional £24.5m allows investment in our roads, bridges and piers across the Highlands. Every pound we spend on improving our roads, bridges and buildings goes back into the Highland economy and helps to support jobs and growth.”

Chair of community services committee, Cllr Allan Henderson, added: “We have over 7000km of non-trunk roads in the Highlands and our road infrastructure is vital to communities. The additional capital funding of £24.5m is a substantial investment which will significantly help us improve our roads and bridges. This allows for an average annual spend of £2.7m for improvements and repairs which have been prioritised accordingly.”