Telford & Wrekin Council to introduce new way of tackling potholes
Telford & Wrekin Council is set to adopt a new risk-based method of fixing potholes in accordance with national guidelines.
It will mean that defects on busier roads, outside schools and on pedestrian crossings will be prioritised which will result in higher quality, more efficient repairs being carried out.
Currently there is no distinction between how a 40mm pothole on a busy road is treated to how a same size pothole on a quieter, lower speed road is treated.
This will now change because a national code of practice called the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure (WMHI) has been introduced.
Councillor Angela McClements, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Transport, said: “The council is investing £26m over the next three years on maintaining our roads, footpatrhs and other assets through the Pride In Our Community initiative.
“We were recently voted second out of 104 local authorities for overall public satisfaction with highways and transport in the National Highways and Transport Survey.
“This new code of practice encourages the principle of taking a risk management approach to maintaining local highways. It means that the response to managing highway defects or issues can be based on factors relevant to the local area.
“We are aware that this winter’s bad weather is likely to increase the number of potholes across the borough so we would encourage people to report any that they see so we can schedule work to get them fixed.”
A report on the new Highways Inspection Policy will be discussed by the council’s cabinet on 15 March.
Information on potholes and how to report them can be found here.
