New Pothole Hit Squad Hits the Ground Running (and Repairing)

Yesterday I visited the Council's new 'pothole hit squad.' This is a new service we have launched to enhance the road repairs service even further. We have put a great deal of extra funding into the Borough's roads and pavements, with £4 million of additional investment within two years as we continue our fightback against years of neglect by the former County Council. We are making the extra investment we have put into the roads go further by working in new, more efficient ways, and the Pothole Hit Squad is a great example of this. There are two crews, using new equipment in the form of a mobile 'hot box' on the back of a truck. This means the tar stays hot while they're out and about, allowing them to carry out permanent, high quality repairs and respond to pothole reports swiftly and efficiently.

I visited one of the crews as they worked on Goldington Road yesterday to talk to them and find out how they were getting on in these first few days of the new service. I saw the operation in action and was very impressed by the speed and quality of the repairs. The works involve full repair and sealing of the holes, and unlike in other areas and in the past here, where temporary 'patching' has been the norm, it will not require expensive repeat visits which prevent work taking place to fill more potholes elsewhere. Please do report potholes in your neighbourhood, or any you see out and about in the Borough, by calling the Highways Helpdesk on 01234 228661. Here's another reminder of that number!