New consultation to improve pothole repairs

New proposals are being launched to hold utility companies to account over the quality and durability of pothole repairs.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has launched an eight week consultation to improve pothole repairs and increase the amount of time utility companies are responsible for them. The proposals will improve guarantees by companies that build new roads so that when potholes appear in new roads within five years they will have a duty to repair them, increasing the current two year time period.

This consultation comes alongside other government projects into road surfaces. Plastic roads are due to be tested in Cumbria, in Buckinghamshire kinetic energy from roads could be used to generate power for lighting, and in Bedfordshire geothermal energy is being used to prevent bus stations from freezing in the winter.

Chris Grayling said: “Potholes are the biggest enemy for road users and this government is looking at all options to keep our roads in the best condition.”

“Road surfaces can be made worse by utility companies, so imposing higher standards on repairs will help keep roads pothole-free for longer.”

The Specification for the reinstatement of openings in highway consultation will also encourage the use of new materials, like asphalt with a higher bitumen content which is easier to compact making repairs longer lasting. The government has also invested in other schemes that improve road data, allowing motorists to plan journeys better, and other data led innovations.

The government has promised up to £6.6Bn for road maintenance between 2015 and 2020. If tested successfully, road surface innovations could become an integral part of networks across the country.

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