“We know potholes are a real concern for our residents and can cause frustration and disruption”

A council says it is stepping up efforts to fix 2,000 potholes a week with new techniques and equipment.

Derbyshire County Council has unveiled new machines, teams and materials as part of its £70m highways maintenance programme.

They include a JCB Pothole Pro machine, jetpatching, thermal repairs, ‘rapid response’ teams and a focus group suggesting new techniques.

Thermal road repairs are a new technique being rolled out for town centre and residential streets in Derbyshire. | dcc

placeholder image — Thermal road repairs are a new technique being rolled out for town centre and residential streets in Derbyshire. | dcc

Coun Charlotte Hill, cabinet member for highways said: “We know potholes are a real concern for our residents and can cause frustration and disruption.

“That’s why we’re continuing to invest in new equipment and techniques that help us repair roads more quickly and make those repairs last longer.”

New approaches in Derbyshire include:

JCB Pothole Pro machine which ‘cuts, crops and cleans potholes in eight minutes
Elasto-mastic solution made from recycled lorry tyres which is more flexible than traditional asphalt and creates a surface with no joints, extending the life of the road, it is claimed
Two jetpatching units that can repair multiple potholes with minimal disruption and is effective in damp conditions
Thermal repairs which create a waterproof joint-free finish that becomes as strong as the existing carriageway. To be used by up to four crews for ‘longer lasting repairs’.