Council say pothole backlog cut by more than 90%

The number of outstanding potholes on Derbyshire’s roads has fallen by more than 90% in just four months, according to Derbyshire County Council.

The council says its backlog has been reduced from around 12,000 potholes in April to fewer than 700 - a reduction of 93.75% and the lowest figure recorded for more than a year. 

Since April, £3.9 million has been spent on pothole repairs as part of the council’s wider £70 million highways capital programme. 

The authority says a combination of increased repair capacity and new techniques has helped its rapid response teams fix an average of 2,000 potholes a week. 

Among the methods being used are jet patching machines, which can carry out rapid repairs to multiple potholes, particularly on rural roads, and thermal repairs, which heat and reuse existing road materials to create a longer-lasting finish. 

The council has also made short-term use of a JCB Pothole Pro to cut and prepare damaged sections of road ahead of permanent repairs, while elasto-mastic patching - using a material partly made from recycled lorry tyres - is being used at busy junctions and in areas with multiple defects. 

Councillor Charlotte Hill, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, praised the highways team for their work. She said: “The combination of their efforts, innovative methods and additional repair capacity has helped us make significant progress. 

“This milestone demonstrates the impact of the investment we continue to make with our £70 million capital programme, and that it is delivering real results. 

“We know potholes are a concern for residents, and we’re committed to making our roads safer and more enjoyable, particularly ahead of winter so we’re in a much stronger position to cope with the conditions cold weather can bring.” 

With the number of outstanding potholes now at what the council describes as a more manageable level, highways teams are moving towards a preventative approach aimed at stopping defects from developing. 

The new “fix before they fail” programme will target areas including busy junctions, bends and roads showing early signs of deterioration. 

Sites will be identified using annual road condition surveys alongside information from local highways inspectors. 

The council says carrying out repairs before winter could help protect road surfaces from snow, ice and other adverse weather, reducing the number of new potholes and helping keep the county’s roads moving.