An extra £15 million will be invested across the next two years to fix potholes across the county.
Staffordshire County Council is making the investment specifically to tackle their ‘pothole backlog’—lower-level potholes that don’t cause a serious safety issue, but still need repairing.
The most serious potholes are repaired within 24 hours or seven days, depending on what category they are.
However, lower-level potholes that do not cause safety issues can take longer to repair, as the more dangerous ones are prioritised.
This money will be used specifically to accelerate pothole repairs across the county.
The extra investment, which was announced as part of the county council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), will also empower local highways teams to make locally informed decisions on where repairs are most needed, ensuring that communities see meaningful improvements in their immediate area.
Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways said:
“Residents have repeatedly highlighted potholes as a priority, and we know that they remain one of the biggest frustrations for motorists. We’re committed to delivering visible improvements on local roads, and while the most serious defects will continue to be repaired with 24 hours or 7 days, this funding will be used specifically to reduce the backlog of lower-level defects across the county.
“Added to this, with local teams making decisions on where to go and fix defects, we hope this will really make a difference to communities.”
The investment a key part of the council’s ongoing Roadmap to a Better Network, its commitment to creating smoother, safer and more reliable roads for everyone who lives in, works in or visits Staffordshire.
Peter added: “This approach is all part of our Roadmap, which is our commitment to keep Staffordshire moving and make our roads better for residents. We also hope, by investing in the pothole backlog, this will also support better co-ordination of repair works, enabling teams to target whole areas rather than single defects. This method not only speeds up the process but also helps deliver longer-lasting repairs and greater value for money for residents.”
People can read Staffordshire’s Roadmap to a Better Network here.
The Medium Term Financial Strategy will be discussed at the county council’s cabinet in February.
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