Pothole buster goes out on patrol
EMMA CURRY
ROADS chiefs say they hope drivers will start to notice an improvement in our roads with a new potholebusting technique patrolling the borough.
High speed spray injection patching machines make 60 repairs a day, boosting Lancashire County Council’s ( LCC) ability to tackle potholes.
The county hall says its mobile pothole repair teams will continue to fix individual defects reported, while the spray injection machines are used to find and fix potholes on rural roads. They are also able to repair minor areas of damage to prevent them in the first place.
Coun Andrew Snowden, LCC’s lead member for highways, said: “We are determined to address the problems of potholes and other road defects, which are such a concern for people.
“We’ve got an extensive programme of maintenance planned for the coming months. I’m sure people will begin to see the difference in the con- dition of our roads very soon.
“The alternating spells of wet followed by cold weather we’ve had over the winter have created the perfect conditions for potholes.
“Our highway teams have been working in all weathers to fix them, but it has been hard going at times as the wet and icy conditions have made it very difficult to make lasting repairs.”
He added: “As the warmer weather arrives and our annual programme of resurfacing begins I hope people will really see the difference as we get on top of the repair backlog and deal with the winter damage.”
The machines work by using compressed air to remove all dust, debris and water from the affected area, before a cold bitumen emulsion is used to seal the defect.
An aggregate mix is then fired in at high speed, with another coating of bitumen emulsion to prevent water from getting in.
An LCC vote was also due to be held on Thursday, April 12 on changes to the way it responds to highway maintenance pri- ority issues.
A report to the cabinet recommends prioritising repairs to problems such as potholes, broken drain grates, loose paving, and damaged bollards on the busiest roads and pavements.
Response times will vary according to risk, with the most serious issues made safe or fixed within four hours, and response times for other problems ranging from two days to 20 days.