WATCH: Council taking a 'common sense' approach to fixing potholes
The trial sees nearby potential future problems all fixed at the same time
Devon’s head of roads says a new seven-week trial of fixing potholes - and potential future problems all at once - is looking promising.
It follows complaints from drivers, and even crews themselves, that until now only road defects of a certain size would be repaired. The trial sees preventative repairs - on smaller defects - being done at the same time as the larger repairs.
The trial cover parts of Barnstaple as well as areas in Hatherleigh, Chagford and North Tawton. Under the trial, when highway safety inspectors investigate potholes reported by the public they will be asked to record all other potholes within 500 metres in each direction, or to the nearest highway junction.
Councillor Dan Thomas, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, joined highways teams near the A3072 on the Road from Moor View to de Bathe Cross at North Tawton to see some of the repairs being undertaken.
He said: “I’m pleased to see the start of this trial and I’m optimistic it will make a positive difference. The Highways team has taken on board this idea and got things moving pretty swiftly so we now just need to see what impact this change to working procedures might have.
“We’re woefully underfunded by central Government so we have to try something different, and with more miles of roads than any other authority in the country it’s no easy task. Depending on the results of this trial it could be rolled across the county, but we would need to establish the benefits in terms of efficiencies, value for money and if it improves the county’s road network.”
Councillor Sue Davies, County Councillor for Hatherleigh and Chagford, said: “I’m delighted that parts of Hatherleigh and Chagford division have been chosen as one of only two locations in Devon to run the trial.
"It’s a common-sense approach to carry out work on the majority of potholes in a road and not just those classified as safety defects – the public are often dismayed when the workforce depart with their materials and equipment leaving half of the potholes untouched. I really hope the trial is a success and that financial constraints don’t hinder a roll-out across the county.”