{"id":67004,"date":"2025-09-04T18:10:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T17:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=67004"},"modified":"2025-09-04T18:10:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T17:10:32","slug":"devons-pothole-repair-trial-to-get-underway-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/devons-pothole-repair-trial-to-get-underway-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"Devon\u2019s pothole repair trial to get underway soon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’ve announced today (4 September) that we will be embarking on a seven-week trial of changes to our pothole repair procedures.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At today\u2019s Full Council meeting, councillors heard that a pilot will get underway from Monday 15 September in parts of Barnstaple as well as west Devon areas of Hatherleigh, Chagford and North Tawton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These locations have been chosen based on data of pothole numbers, and highways teams will be filling all potholes, not just safety defects, when visiting sites in these areas through to the end of October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When investigating potholes reported by the public, highway safety inspectors will be asked to record all other potholes on that road within 500 metres in each direction, or to the nearest highway junction. Repair teams will then repair those potholes within their traffic management set-up \u2013 although different teams may be required depending on the size and type of repair needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While not everything will be repaired, this trial will establish the budget implications of taking a more proactive approach to fixing potholes before they become safety defects, and it\u2019s an opportunity to see if this new approach to pothole repairs leads to a reduction in pothole reports.<\/p>\n\n\n

\r\n\t
\r\n

Councillor Dan Thomas, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: <\/p><\/div>\r\n \t\t

\u201cImproving Devon\u2019s roads is a priority for the County Council. We said we\u2019d make changes and we want to see if this provides longer term benefits for the condition of our roads. Trialling this new approach will test whether it is a more efficient way of working and better value for money to fix potholes before they become a safety defect.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe frustrations you hear from people are that a workforce will go out and fill in one pothole but possibly don\u2019t fill in others that you would consider road defects, because they don’t have them on their list. While they’re out on the ground it makes sense for them to be looking to fill as many road defects as possible to ensure they’re not having to go back in short order. I don\u2019t believe the current way of working is cost effective and the purpose of the trial is to prove that\u2019s the case.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re facing massive challenges because we don\u2019t get enough money from central government for our roads to start with. We have a repair backlog of \u00a3390 million and every year we need \u00a3102 million a year from government just to keep our roads in their current condition, but we simply don\u2019t get anywhere near that amount from government each year for the whole highways department, let alone just roads. Our highway maintenance budgets are limited and road repairs have to be prioritised, but this trial is exploring whether traditional maintenance policies can be adapted to drive further efficiencies and get even better value for money which would allow our budgets to go further.<\/p>\n

\u201cDevon has already adopted innovations to drive efficiencies \u2013 using new materials such as elastomac and equipment such as dragon patchers. This pothole repair trial is an opportunity to give our highways teams greater flexibility to repair what\u2019s on site in the same visit rather than having to return to do more at a later date \u2013 something which has been highlighted consistently by residents.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Councillor\r\n
\r\n Councillor Dan Thomas, Cabinet Member for Highways<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effectiveness of the trial will hopefully be reflected in improved conditions of roads in the trial area over a longer period, requiring fewer return visits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":66381,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[24,986],"tags":[918,36],"class_list":["post-67004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dcc-homepage","category-roads-and-transport","tag-cllr-dan-thomas","tag-roads"],"acf":[],"featured_image":{"ID":66381,"title":"Copy of hero image for news website (55)","alt":"Devon Highways staff carrying out road 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