Find it, fix it - potholes
More than 3,000 potholes have already been repaired in Telford and Wrekin this financial year, as the Council ramps up its efforts to fix any potholes mainly caused by the wet weather and colder temperatures of the winter season.
Highways Inspectors check the borough’s roads every day and prioritise any potholes they find according to size and severity but, with 670 miles of road to cover in addition to the borough’s footpath and cycleways, the council is asking the public to report any potholes they spot here during their daily exercise or if they are out on an essential journey.
The Council and its highways contractor Balfour Beatty have been taking advantage of relatively quieter roads during the current coronavirus pandemic lockdown to get this work done. In addition to Highways teams filling potholes, additional crews have been completing larger patches with an innovative Multihog machine to proactively improve roads that may be liable to potholes and extend the life of repairs while preventing potholes forming in the future.
Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for highways maintenance, said: “The Department for Transport tells us that the condition of our roads is of a higher standard than the regional average; however, the nature of the beast is that there is always more to do and we have pledged record investment to try and meet the challenge. The relatively low number of potholes compared to last year is as a direct result of the additional investment put into the borough’s highway network in recent years.
“We have invested significantly in proactive patching work this year using a £2.4m grant from the Department for Transport, £1m of which used the effective “Multihog” system (pictured) which has covered nearly 12,000m² of repairs – the equivalent of 12,000 potential potholes.
“In addition to this work and our own inspectors getting out across the whole network, we are appealing to the public to report any potholes they see. We will inspect all defects reported to us and if they are dangerous we will aim to repair them within one working day. All other potholes will be repaired as part of a planned programme of work depending on the severity.
“We will do all we can to ensure we continue to have some of the best roads in the region.
