More than £30 million has been earmarked for improving transport in Sussex.

The Government has given local authorities money to invest in new safety measures, traffic reduction, street lighting and roadworks.

Brighton and Hove has been given £5.5 million, East Sussex got £10.4 million and West Sussex received £14.2 million to spend next year.

Some of the money was awarded according to local authorities' past performance in delivering transport improvements.

Another part was based on the quality of their plans to improve transport over the next five years.

Brighton and Hove City Council said it was too early to say what it would spend the cash on.

Under previous Local Transport Plan settlements, it has invested in real time bus information, cycle schemes and safer routes to school.

The Department for Transport praised Brighton and Hove's bus priority scheme and said the council's future transport policy was "good".

During the last five years, bus passengers increased by 21 per cent and there was a reduction in car traffic in the city centre.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chairwoman of Brighton and Hove's environment committee, said: "This extra funding recognises the council's strong delivery of its sustainable transport policies and the ideas we have for the future of transport in the city."

The Government rated West Sussex County Council's transport policy as "excellent".

It highlighted the Crawley Fastway - a state-of-the-art bus service avoiding congestion spots around Crawley, Gatwick and Horley in Surrey. A spokesman for West Sussex County Council said it had not decided yet what it would use the money for.

East Sussex's transport department was classed "good" by the Government.

A spokesman said decisions on how to spend the money would be made at the end of January.

It is expected to include improvements to bus services, traffic calming and schemes for pedestrians.