More than 2,000 potholes fixed in Shropshire as roads quieter in coronavirus lockdown
With the roads considerably quieter than normal Shropshire Council has been taking advantage of the opportunity to repair some of the thousands of potholes across the county.
The council has had its highways team out fixing the roads while traffic has been reduced due to the coronavirus lockdown.
It said that on Monday, March 23, there were 5,259 potholes and other defects on the county’s roads.
The authority said it had now cut that number to under 3,000. Work being carried out includes 'texpatching', thermal patching, jet patching, and work by two-person pothole gangs.
Meanwhile, the council also says a limited number of highways schemes have been progressed or completed in recent weeks, but that all planned and non-safety critical highway works are currently suspended – though will restart once the current restrictions are lifted.
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Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “During the coronavirus pandemic we’ve made some changes to our highways maintenance work.
“We’re prioritising essential repairs, such as potholes and pavement defects, to ensure that the county’s roads remain safe and serviceable. This means that work is continuing to take place on the network, and we’re ensuring that council staff and contractors are following the social distancing guidelines.
“We’re also aware that the impact on the public is significantly reduced by undertaking highways work during this period and, as a result, we’re maximising our resources wherever possible.
“I’d like to thank all of our highways officers and contractors for carrying out this important work during what it a difficult time. I gave my assurance we would catch up on pothole repairs after this winter’s dreadful flooding problems, and we are indeed doing this.”
The council says roads inspections have been largely unaffected, and that all work is being monitored to ensure that it complies with Government guidelines.
