On Monday I reported that Cheshire East Council has filled 21,643 potholes in our roads so far this year and, now that the warmer weather is here, they will be stepping up their efforts to tackle the problem.
The authority will spend £25m in road repairs and resurfacing works over two years and they are on target to repair over 50,000 potholes by the end of this year.
However, many local residents have contacted us to complain about the quality of the repairs - see the above photo of a large pothole on South Street which was repaired earlier this month.
Cheshire East Council is using a new method of pothole repair, called 'velocity patching' which uses a blend of bitumen and chippings that are passed through a hose at high speed from a maintenance vehicle.
The hose is initially used to blast the pothole with air, to force out any dirt or water, then a bitumen emulsion bond coat is forced into the cracks of the pothole. The chippings are then fired at speed through a bitumen spray into the pothole.
There are currently two vehicles in operation in Cheshire East, which the Council says enable them to repair more potholes in less time.
Commenting on the standard of pot hole repairs, Jerry Dixon said "I do have serious doubts about the quality of these repairs. As a cyclist it is particularly evident that many repairs have clearly been done in haste and consequently they start breaking up soon after being completed. I also question why in a stretch of road with numerous holes and crumbling tarmac, it is often the case that just the worst holes are repaired, inevitably requiring the repair team to visit again.
"This seems a short-sighted and ultimately more costly way of dealing with what is becoming a massive problem."
Sarah Lane added "The repairs are sub standard. I have reported numerous craters and they have been repaired quickly but not to a high standard at all. In fact a fair few are already breaking up with the tarmac spraying up on the cars. All very unacceptable really."
What do you think about the quality of repairs? Share your views via the comment box below.
You can report a pothole via the Council's website or by calling the highways team on 0300 123 5020 and also see answers to frequently asked questions about potholes.
Photo: Pothole on South Street which was repaired a few weeks ago, click 'next photo' to view the pothole before it was repaired.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
An utter waste of time and money !
When are they going to start repairing the roads properly and use our Council Tax correctly ?