Staffordshire County Council says its highways teams repaired 5,000 potholes and other road defects in September, the highest monthly total since the county’s Road Map to a Better Network was launched a year ago.
The council said the figure showed its plan was beginning to have an impact, although it described the programme as work in progress.
More whole-road repairs
The Road Map sets out four priorities: carrying out more whole-road and full-lane repairs; using technology and local teams to identify and address defects more quickly; improving value from the highways budget; and securing fairer, longer-term funding for Staffordshire.
The council said improved condition surveys were helping it identify problems earlier. It also cited repairs on the A518 near Stafford following a fuel spill, alongside closer co-ordination with utility companies and neighbouring authorities to manage roadworks.
Staffordshire is investing an additional £15m in road repairs and efficiency measures across a network of more than 4,000 miles, according to the authority.
Funding campaign
The council is also seeking government support for major infrastructure work, including £40.3m towards the £46.3m Chetwynd Bridge scheme. Other bridge projects highlighted by the authority include the completed Wodehouse Lane Bridge and the Wolseley Bridge scheme between Stafford and Rugeley.
Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for strategic highways, said: “Our roadmap is our commitment to doing things differently. A year after we launched we can see it’s had an impact. However this is very much work in progress and we know we need to maintain this momentum.”
He added: “And we’ve invested more in fixing potholes which we know are always a big issue. Ultimately this is all about keeping Staffordshire moving.”