I am delighted at the news that that Shropshire Council has responded to the Government’s request to set out their plans for £5,238,000 to be used to repair and resurface roads across the county over the next two years as part of £153,072,000 allocated to them as part of a long-term, 11-year plan to improve local roads.
Shropshire Council repaired 41,629 potholes in 2023, with 50% of these repairs carried out within five days – a 46% increase on the previous year and at no additional cost. At the same time, the average cost to the council of repairing a pothole has fallen by 66% in the past four years and is now below the national average.
This is due to the council’s new ‘mixed economy’ model for highways maintenance which sees work being carried out by the council – using a permanent and interim workforce – plus directly employed local sub-contractors, and by Kier.
The council has been shortlisted for a national award for the impact of this new ‘mixed economy’ approach to maintaining and improving the county’s roads. See Shropshire Council shortlisted for national award for road maintenance work – Shropshire Council Newsroom
Shropshire Council is also carrying out a trial working with parish councils to develop a safe system of local self-delivery pothole repairs. And the council has made a significant investment in drainage renewals, as their failure gives rise to the conditions that create repeated potholes thereby treating the cause and creating service sustainability.
Work to repair potholes on the county’s roads continues to be carried out despite the very wet winter weather seeing a reduction in the rate and speed of pothole repairs since the start of 2024 – something that is being replicated across the country.