Ring road project boosted by £3m

Work on Derby's inner ring road will finish five months earlier than planned thanks to a government cash injection.

The £10m project started in September last year and was due to be completed in August 2007.

But a government grant of more than £3m means the work, the first maintenance since the early 1970s, should be finished next March.

As well as carriageway resurfacing, work will include installing modern safety fencing and replacing a bridge.

Local Transport Minister Gillian Merron said: "This is good news for local people and all those who use this busy stretch of road.

"When completed, local people will benefit from improvements to public transport as well as measures to greatly improve road safety. "