Pothole repairs underway after bad weather

As of yesterday, two dedicated ‘pothole patching gangs’ started working across the Borough to deal with potholes and start patching repairs in high-use roads, as well as areas of damage being reported by residents. They will operate on a ‘find and fix’ basis, meaning the teams will not only repair identified and marked potholes, but also potholes that can be fixed on the spot.   Works were originally planned to begin last week, however this was delayed due to the heavy snowfall.  

The Council has agreed an extra £100,000 to be spent for this rapid response work, on top of the £102,000 which was already earmarked for road repairs in this year’s budget, and £195,000 for pothole repairs over the next three years.  

The repairs will be on-going as road surfaces need to be consistently surveyed and repaired; however the intention of the Council is to clear as many potholes as possible during March with the intensified and dedicated effort.  

Cllr Tony Cox, Executive Councillor for Transport, Waste and Regulatory Services, said: “Now that the severe weather conditions from last week are just a distant memory, we must turn our attention to repairing and inspecting as many roads throughout the Borough as we can.  

“The East of England has experienced a number of cold and harsh winters in recent years which are particularly punishing for roads up and down the country. As roads starts to age, cracks start to appear in the top layer, especially during dry months, and this allows water to seep into cracks in the road.  

“In cold, wet, weather like we have seen over the past week, water freezes and expands which further weakens the road's surface and it is inevitable that more potholes will appear during winter months and particularly after the extreme weather of last week.   “Potholes can prove to be very costly, for road users as well as the Council, so it is vital that we take appropriate action to help protect residents and motorists in the town.  

“We are aware any delays in journeys can be a hindrance, however I must ask for some patience if any roads do need to be closed for patching works, and we hope that drivers will appreciate that we must take the appropriate action to safely and effectively repair the roads where necessary.”  

Since January, the Council has used approximately 1,000 tones of salt grit on roads throughout the Borough.  

To see more information regarding potholes repairs in the Borough, including information on how potholes are assessed for repairs, please visit http://www.southend.gov.uk/info/200339/report_a_parking_or_roads_problem/545/highways_maintenance_information/1