Millions to be spent on filling Kent's potholes

Motorist misery could soon be eased as a pothole blitz is about to get underway in Kent.

The County Council is preparing to plough millions in extra cash into tackling road defects. Additional funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) worth £8.6 million will be spent between March and October this year.

The financial boost is on top of about £50 million already pledged in KCC’s own road and footway planned maintenance budget.

Currently, pothole levels in Kent are at a nine-year high.

Kent County Council (KCC) figures show that between October and December 2023, there were 5,510 potholes reported.

This is almost twice the number compared to the same period in 2022, when there were 3,073 reported potholes.

The Pothole Blitz will focus on medium to large scale resurfacing, making permanent first-time fixes.

Specialist equipment, including miniature planers, pavers and diggers, will be used to ensure the repairs can be made with minimal disruption to the travelling public.

KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Neil Baker said, “Between April and December 2023 we repaired 54,814 potholes and mended or resurfaced more than 416,991m2 of road, which is equivalent to 57 Wembley football pitches."

“Kent’s roads are among the busiest in the country, which is why throughout the winter we have been responding to reports of potholes by completing emergency repairs where defects present a risk to safety."

“With the weather improving we are turning our attention to completing permanent fixes the first time we visit the site, so the travelling public can be confident that repairs will last.”

Roads Minister, Guy Opperman said, "Motorists and roads users in Kent deserve safe, modern and smooth roads they can rely on. That’s why it’s great to see Kent County Council making the most of the additional funding from the Government to tackle road defects and speed-up journeys."

“As we continue to put drivers back in the driving seat, the £135 million of additional funding we are providing over the next 11 years will help ensure that more and more roads all across Kent can be resurfaced.”

People are asked to continue to report potholes at www.kent.gov.uk/potholes using the dedicated fault reporting tool.