New process to fix potholes in Hertfordshire

A new approach to the way potholes are repaired is set to be rolled out across Hertfordshire.

The new process, which is part of the recently introduced ‘triage’ (sorting & classifying) service, will be discussed by Hertfordshire County Council’s highways panel next week (8 December).

When a pothole or similar safety related highways fault is reported, an inspector from the local authority’s contractor, Ringway, will visit the site to inspect the reported fault and make a decision about if a repair is needed, and if so, what type of repair is most appropriate and what priority it should be given.

Terry Douris, cabinet member for highways, said: “We are always looking to improve the service for Hertfordshire residents and we believe this new approach will provide better value for money overall. The council is responsible for maintaining over 3,000 miles of roads and this new process will better plan when intervention is required to help keep the roads in a good condition.”

If the new approach is agreed by members it would mean that in future, all but the most urgent of issues would first be ‘triaged’ by an inspector who will decide on the most appropriate response. In the case of potholes, the inspector will assess the surrounding area, and decide whether it is more efficient to repair individual potholes or if the repair should be carried out as part of wider work. The majority of potholes 50mm deep or more would still receive a permanent   and other repairs would be included in larger, planned solution.

Planning repairs in this way will allow the council’s teams to get it right first time for defects like potholes, whether it be through a permanent patch or resurfacing a whole area.

Douris added: “This new approach will enable funding to be reallocated from reactive to planned repair works, adding value to the highway asset, achieving better value for money for the residents of Hertfordshire and improving the overall condition of the county’s roads.”