Shropshire pothole inspectors being introduced to check repairs are 'up to standard'

A new team of Shropshire Council inspectors will check all of the authority’s pothole repairs are up to standard.

The council said it is introducing a new, “more stringent regime” for inspecting road repairs made by its contractors.

The state of the county’s roads has been a major issue which plagued the council’s previous Conservative administration, and the Liberal Democrats who ousted the Tories in the May elections last year.

Heather Kidd, Shropshire Council leader, said: “For too long, road repairs have not been inspected properly, allowing indifferent workmanship to go unchallenged, with poor repairs opening up after far too short a time.

“We now have restructured our road repair regime, allowing a local contractor with a proven reputation for efficiency to take over the lions’ share of the repair work and we have secured an extra approximately £1.5M from the Government for extra road repairs.

“However, to make sure future repairs are of a high standard, the council is introducing a team of inspectors to inspect all completed road repairs. If they are not up to standard, they will insist that the work be redone. A number are now in place with more to follow.

“Given the heavy use of our roads, potholes will continue to appear, however. So I urge the public to continue reporting any new holes plus any instances of uncompleted repairs, diversions not signposted etc.”