Wrekin says don’t let HS2 money go to waste

Dave Sanders, head of technical sales at civil engineering products specialists Wrekin Products, is urging for more support and guidance to accompany the increased funding allocation – revealed to be £8.3billion in a government report.

He said that in the wake of news that a quarter of the £36bn the government will save by scrapping the Manchester HS2 line will help remedy the UK’s “plague of potholes”.

Saunders commented: “Unless there is a real push for long term pothole repair solutions instead of quick fixes, then we will not be able to solve the pothole crisis – no matter how much budget is allocated. We’re seeing a growing number of local authorities unhappy with the approach of patch repairing already subpar pothole repair works, but this is happening far too often.”

He believes that with more guidance surrounding how potholes are formed and the innovative solutions available will allow more local authorities to address the root causes properly.

Saunders continued: “Other underlying causes of potholes include road ironwork failures and this needs to be addressed. Potholes will form when weaknesses exist in the road surface, potentially from surfacing joints, remedial works, or the use of poor-quality materials. Fitting a piece of ironwork in a road can create a potential weakness, as well as the cuts in the road needed to remove ironwork. Replacement or repair of ironwork also poses an increased risk.

“Selecting robust systems with the correct, appropriate materials can reduce the potential for surface weakness. Durable ironwork that is sympathetic to its bedding materials and surrounding environment is key to preventing potholes.”