WESTON’S transport infrastructure could receive a welcome boost through a new Government cash injection.

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which includes North Somerset, will receive �11.3million from a growing places fund designed to deliver projects to support jobs and housing.

And that will mean more money could be spent on improving transport links in and around Weston, and providing a good base for businesses to develop on.

The LEP contains businessmen from the South West alongside North Somerset Council’s leader Nigel Ashton, and the leaders of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire councils.

The money will be spent on different schemes across the region, but Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, North Somerset’s deputy leader and a member of the infrastructure and place group which advises the LEP, says Weston has been earmarked as a priority area.

He said: “It is yet to be decided on how it will be spent, but obviously the leader of the council is representing North Somerset in the organisation, and Weston has certainly been identified as one priority area.

“This could be used to improve road and other transport links into Weston, and to provide high quality service bases for building office and other employment space on.

“These are the kind of things we are looking at, which would help to bring businesses, and therefore employment, to the area.”

Councillor Mike Bell, Liberal Democrat group leader on the council, said: “This funding gives a much-needed boost to businesses in North Somerset and the wider region.

“North Somerset Council and our business community should make the most of the opportunity and put forward ideas that will bring the maximum possible benefits to our area.

“There are many areas, particularly in Weston, where we would like to see more progress to provide local jobs including Locking Parklands, Weston airfield and Weston gateway. I hope some of this funding can be used to help kickstart some of these schemes.”