Cumbria’s potholes are on the mend

Cumbria County Council is harnessing extra resources to help repair damage to the county’s roads caused by freezing winter temperatures.

The pothole repair initiative will begin in Eden and South Lakes and continue throughout the county in the coming months.

The council has organised innovative jet patching and thermal road patching machines to fix potholes, carry out emergency road repairs and seal worn sections of the carriageway.

During the period 21 February to 11 March, our Highways Teams have mended the following potholes:

547 by a velocity machine and 502 by a thermal patcher, in Eden; and 543 by a velocity machine, in South Lakes.

The high-powered jet patching equipment uses a cold bitumen emulsion that is forced into every crack and crevice under high pressure to fill a pothole. Thermal road patching machines work by melting the existing poor road surface and producing a permanent, heat-sealed, seamless repair which re-establishes the original quality of the road.

Jet patchers are highly efficient and cost-effective way of repairing damaged road surfaces.

Thermal road patchers can repair a road defect in as little as 15 minutes, much faster than using traditional road repair methods. This technology can reduce carbon emissions, minimise disruption to the public and traffic, and facilitate a faster repair.

This work is in addition to the Council’s Highways Teams who continue to work tirelessly to maintain the county’s 7,000km roads, keeping them safe for road users.

Regular progress updates and photos will be posted on the council’s social media channels over the coming weeks.

Cllr Keith Little, Cumbria County Council Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said:

“Freezing temperatures have taken their toll on the condition of roads. Repairing damaged road surfaces is a top priority for the county council, and we’re deploying this patching technology to support this essential work.“

“These machines provide an extremely fast, efficient method that can permanently repair a pothole in a fraction of the time it usually takes conventional repair methods. The repairs are more cost effective and are instantly ready to take vehicles reducing disruption to the public and providing a long-lasting repair.”

“Our pothole repair program has started in Eden and South Lakes but will be coming to a town near you soon”.