Scores of communities across Norfolk are to benefit from more than £390,000 of transport investment from the county council.

In June of last year, parish and town councils were invited to lodge bids for small scale traffic measures - to be match-funded by County Hall.

More than 130 bids were received and at a meeting of the council's environment, development and transport committee, members approved 133 of these - an investment of £394,637.

These projects include flashing 20mph signs, improved bus shelters and village gateways.

The schemes are part of the council's parish partnership scheme, which has been running for eight years and has seen more than £2m invested on such transport measures.

Martin Wilby, committee chairman, said: 'The parish partnership scheme is going from strength to strength with more than £2.6m spent overall on local highway priorities such as reducing speeds in towns and villages and creating new roadside paths.

'This year, the most popular bids are again for the mobile SAMS2 speed awareness signs that flash the drivers actual speed, and for village gateways and bus shelters.

'The successful schemes this year now means that in total 609 of these locally important schemes have now received approval over the past eight years.'

While for the most part, the 600 applications have been evenly spread across the region, the Great Yarmouth borough has been criticised for not better taking advantage of the scheme.

Of the £2.6m invested, just £116,593 has gone to the borough, leading to Mr Wilby expressing disappointment that the area had not taken better advantage of the scheme.

Colleen Walker, Labour councillor for Belton, however, argued that bids submitted from the borough were often refused.

She said: 'Some jobs we need doing just can't be done through this scheme.'

Among the most costly projects approved by the committee were a new £50,000 crossing point in Mile Cross, £20,500 village gates in Blofield and a £20,000 footway in Great and Little Plumstead.

With County Hall pledging the match-fund the schemes, the remaining costs of each scheme will fall on the parish and town councils bidding for them.