JCB pothole fixer could be deployed in county

A range of methods to repair potholes are being trialed by Derbyshire County Council in an attempt to clear a backlog of problems.

In January the authority, along with a dozen others, received a "red" rating based on the condition of its roads, with 28% of A-roads judged to be in poor condition.

Techniques include a flexible asphalt mix made with recycled tyres, thermal repairs that use the existing road surface, jet patching for low-use roads and the possible use of a specialist JCB Pothole Pro machine.

Officials said crews were currently fixing about 2,000 potholes every week.

The council said the trials formed part of a £70m Capital Programme, aimed at combining longevity and value for money.

It said as part of this it was exploring the use of a JCB Pothole Pro machine, which is designed to cut, crop and clean potholes in about eight minutes, for the next three months.

While currently used by Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire county councils, Leicestershire County Council earlier this month concluded the vehicle did not "stack up as an economical piece of kit".

Thermal repair, which will be used on town centre and residential streets, heats and reuses the existing road surface to create a joint-free finish.

A new elasto-mastic solution was introduced 18 months ago which uses recycled lorry tyres to give a more flexible filler than traditional asphalt, which should prevent water from causing further damage.

Two jetpatching units are also being introduced to support rural road maintenance.

This method can quickly repair multiple potholes on roads with lower levels of traffic.

Charlotte Hill, cabinet member for highways, said: "We're continuing to invest in new equipment and techniques that help us repair roads more quickly and make those repairs last longer, ensuring we get the right approach for the right roads at the first time every time.

"There isn't a single solution to fixing potholes, but by testing new approaches and building on what works, we're continuing to make improvements across Derbyshire's highways network."

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