Council unveils new recycled machinery used to tackle potholes in Hertfordshire

Herts Council has revealed the new machinery its using to improve roads throughout the county.

Hertfordshire County Council is using a new type of asphalt product made from recycled tyres to repair potholes.

It is claimed by the local authority that the new machinery allows it to improve local roads in a quicker and cleaner way.

Roadmender asphalt contains material from tyres that would otherwise have been incinerated and allows road repair crews to repair potholes four times faster, with less dust and noise, the local authority states.

Because the process used with this new material doesn’t require drilling or cutting of the existing road surface, highways teams will be able to repair potholes using 80 per cent less material as well as consuming 80 per cent less energy, with fewer vehicles travelling to and from sites, according to council findings.

Money for the project has come from a Government grant of £3.9m. Hertfordshire County Council estimates that 20,000 additional pothole repairs will be covered by the Pothole Fund money. Council data shows over 2,500 potholes have been filled at 679 locations since the money was received.

Councillor Phil Bibby said: “We know that the condition of our roads really matters to our residents, and it matters to us too. Our roads are in a better condition than the national average, but we absolutely know that there’s more that needs to be done.

“This quicker, cleaner and greener method of repairing potholes will help us do more to keep Hertfordshire’s roads in a good condition, as well as moving us closer to our goal of making our operations carbon neutral by 2030.”

Residents are encouraged to report potholes and road issues on the local authority’s website here.

Also, the council has announced it will be trialling a new JCB Pothole Pro machine. Using the new roadmender is part of the wider council strategy to make its operations carbon neutral by 2030.

Latest data shows that there was a 32 per cent increase in the number of potholes reported across the county. The local authority has linked the issues to the extended winter.