Telford council takes advantage of lock down to fix pothole-ridden roads
Telford council has said it has taken advantage of quiet roads during the lockdown to carry out much-needed pothole work.
The authority said that more than 3,800 potholes have been repaired since the beginning of the year, after they ramped up efforts to fix an increased number caused by wet weather and colder temperatures.
Crews from Telford & Wrekin Council have been out filling potholes across the borough as the roads are less busy than usual due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Workers have been filling potholes with additional crews completing larger patches with a special Multihog machine to extend the life of repairs and prevent potholes forming in the future.
Preventative patching work has also been carried out recently at 90 different locations across Woodside, Overdale, Randlay, Brookside, Stirchley Donnington and Aqueduct, the council said.
Rural areas in the borough have also had visits from the authority's spray injection crews, with 562 repairs being made since the beginning of March.
Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for neighbourhood, commercial services and regeneration, said: "We need to do all we can to ensure that borough’s roads are safe and maintained even during the coronavirus pandemic.
"That’s why are our crews are still out and about filling potholes and taking advantage of borough roads being less busy.
"Our contractor Balfour Beatty have reassured us that their crews are following the social distancing guidelines, with only one person now operating from each vehicle and the 2m social distancing being adhered to on site.
"Due to their continuous efforts we’ve managed to keep on top of repairing potholes caused by the wet weather during winter – exactly as we promised to do.
"Over the next 3 years a further £50m will be invested on maintaining and repairing the boroughs roads, footpaths, bridges, street lighting, road safety and drainage schemes to keep Telford moving."
Other highways work is being carried out by the council during lockdown, such as resurfacing, road safety schemes and cleaning gullies.
A limited number of complex structure and drainage schemes are to be deferred until the current lockdown restrictions are lifted.
