'Find it Fix it' pothole crews are out in Telford and Wrekin
Telford & Wrekin Council's 'Find it Fix it' crews have been out in force this winter, fixing nearly three times the number of potholes reported.
Since 2019, £29m has been invested by Telford & Wrekin Council on upgrading and improving roads and footpaths in the borough, with another £12m to be invested over the next two years.
Crews repaired 2,350 potholes in 2022, while Telford and Wrekin residents reported 832 for repair.
The trend for reported pothole numbers has been steadily declining – in 2019, 2,900 potholes were reported for repair.
The council is encouraging people to use the MyTelford app to help identify and report areas with potholes.
Councillor Lee Carter, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, Regeneration and the High Street, said:
"There are fewer potholes in Telford and Wrekin due to our £29m investment in our roads and footpaths and the hard work of our highways teams.
“This reduction in potholes is despite continued cuts in government funding.
“We want to maintain our reputation as one of the top-ranked areas in the country for satisfaction with highway and transport services and that’s why we will be investing another £12m over the next two years.
“Our highways teams are out all year inspecting roads ensuring they are safe and in good condition – reducing the need for maintenance.
"In 2022, we fixed three times as many potholes than were reported to us by residents
"The more potholes we identify, the more we can fix, so please, if you find a pothole, report it, and our “Find it Fix it” crews will sort it.
"The wet winter weather and freezing temperatures will have taken a toll on the borough's roads.
"As we move into the spring, we hope the public will help us by identifying and reporting potholes in the MyTelford app.”
In cold weather, when water seeps into tiny cracks in the road, it can freeze and expand, making the cracks bigger and creating a weak point in the road.
This cycle repeats, and when traffic travels over the weakened area, the road surface starts to break up, and a pothole is eventually formed.
Highways inspectors are out on the borough's roads every day reporting potholes they see for crews to fix – and they are asking residents to report any they spot too.
Report potholes online at www.telford.gov.uk/potholes or via the free MyTelford app.
