Almost £8million is set to be invested in repairing potholes more quickly and preparing for more extreme weather events across Staffordshire.
The Post-Winter Highways Recovery Plan was announced by Staffordshire County Council earlier this month.
Now further details have come forward about how highway crews will be repairing roads and drainage systems over the next year, following one the wettest and stormiest winters on record.
Cllr Mark Deaville, cabinet member for strategic highways, said:
“Our crews did an excellent job last year to improve our roads, but after coming through one of the wettest winters on record that fantastic progress has quite literally been washed away.
“After speaking with crews and listening to our residents, we have put together a focused response that sets out how we will get back on top of the defects.
“This plan is our commitment to making our roads better for our residents, and our crews will be pulling out all the stops to repair as many pothole and drainage issues as they can, and reduce the amount of reported defects in our systems.
“Potholes and poor drainage are a nuisance, and we know that when our residents report issues, they want them dealt with quickly.
“By focusing our efforts in these two areas in particular, we can really make a visible difference and create improved journeys for everyone living and working in our county.”
Cllr Mark Deaville
The plan will see the authority investing almost £8million in repairing potholes and reducing the amount of defects, as well as improving drainage and carrying out work to prepare for more extreme weather events.
The money is in addition to £53million already earmarked for major projects, road improvements and general maintenance in the current financial year.
But Cllr Gillian Pardesi, speaking at this month’s full county council meeting, said:
“My understanding is our individual budgets within our divisions have been reduced from £30,000 to £20,000.
“Assuming nobody in this chamber is a climate change denier, this is a plea to increase our budgets within our divisions.
“If we acknowledge we are getting more rain, more flooding and it’s causing more issues with damage to our roads and drains, we really need to consider additional funding to take that into account. “
Cllr Gillian Pardesi
Believe it when I see it
All talk
There is a road gully on Buds road Cannock Wood that’s had a barrier and cones round it since last year
Their crews did an excellent job last year to improve the roads? Really? I must have blinked and missed that?
Don’t be silly. Conservative promises to repair potholes is like their Leader promising to build 40 new hospitals – but we’re not fooled anymore are we?
I was touring northwest Wales last week – an area known for much heavier rain than Staffordshire of course – and the roads were in a much better condition than here, hardly any potholes. Strange that….
Conservative County Councillors suddenly deciding to pull their fingers out and repair the roads. Anyone would think there was an election on. As usual too little too late.
That’s hardly a new machine, 14 years old, mind you not used much in that time, by the roads
Bit late now for our M P to get the road from Burntwood to Lichfield sorted out before the election he promised at the last one
John C, I was in South Wales last week, hardly any potholes on any grade of road, wonderful not having to dodge potholes, like being in paradise
Does this machine make proper and lasting repairs or does the bloke with the size 9 boot stamp it in like perevious repairs. Days after its all in the gutters or they put a white paint line round it. I will believe these repairs when and if they happen at all.