Cheshire West and Chester Council is trialling a new piece of kit in the fight against potholes.
The council’s highways service is currently testing out the JCB Pothole Pro as part of an eight-week trial of the vehicle.
JCB says the Pothole Pro is a time-saving, three-in-one vehicle and has been designed to make pothole repairs faster.
First it cuts into the road surface where a pothole has appeared, it then crops the perimeter of the hole neatly to allow a watertight repair, and brushes away and collects debris afterwards.
All highways teams need to do is lay and compact asphalt into the prepared hole to complete the repair.
The benefits of using the vehicle include speed and safety for operators.
Staff are able to work safely from their cab, with no risk from vibrating hand tools affecting their hands or fingers.
How are potholes formed…
Although potholes can occur at any time of the year, it is late winter and early spring where the weather has the most impact on the amount of potholes on our roads.
The number of potholes increases dramatically when we get heavy rain followed by freezing temperatures.
They’re caused by water seeping through cracks in the road which freezes and expands as ice during periods of extreme cold.
When the ice thaws and milder weather dries out the potholes, it creates a gap under the surface of the road which is made larger each time the process is repeated.
With the base weakened, the weight of traffic causes the road surface to collapse into the hole – and additional wear from traffic then makes the hole bigger.
Under the right conditions, a pothole can develop in as little as 24 hours.
Cheshire West and Chester Council says it carries out regular inspections of its highway network to ensure potholes and other defects are identified and repaired in a timely manner to keep the roads safe.
Cllr Karen Shore said: “Last year we repaired over 7,000 potholes.
“We usually see an increase in the number appearing at this time of year but the recent cycle of rain, extreme cold and then mild conditions will have had a big impact on the condition of the borough’s roads.
“We have programmed in a schedule of pothole repairs using the Pothole Pro over the next eight weeks and will await the results with interest.
“At the moment our teams are repairing approximately 70 square metres every day.”
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