Potholes resurface in the South Hams

Emergency teams have been out repairing potholes caused by the freezing temperatures.

The County Council has fixed almost 40,000 already this financial year – double the usual amount – following last winter’s severe weather, which was colder than the 30 year average.

And Devon County Council Leader John Hart is leading a delegation at the County Council’s Network to lobby the Government for more cash for the work.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “We won’t be able to get to every defect straight away because of the sheer size of our network, so we still need people to be our eyes and ears. We have already targeted resources at existing defects, and found new ways of working to repair potholes much more quickly and efficiently in recent months. But we will be stepping that up even more over the next few weeks, and it’s now time that the government provides us with more resources to allow us to get to grips with this.”

In sub-zero temperatures road surfaces become brittle which can result in cracking or existing cracks can worsen, chippings can loosen and potholes are formed.

The County Council is currently in the midst of a major additional capital £2 million repair programme, with 88 schemes throughout the county, repairing more than 80 miles of roads.

Potholes and safety defects on the county’s roads can be reported online at www.devon.gov.uk or by calling 0845 155 1004.