The new machine that can fix up to 100 potholes a day

A new pothole-busting jet patcher that can fix up to 100 potholes a day has arrived in Gloucester. 

Gloucestershire County Council is responsible for maintaining more than 3,700 miles of roads, but says the cold and wet winter weather adversely affected the highways.

More than 170 county roads are being resurfaced this year thanks to more than £100m of funding.

Eight new “find and fix” teams have been set up to tackle smaller potholes in the area before they get worse.

The council is also using a spray injection patcher machine, known as a “pothole buster” that can fix up to 100 potholes in a day.

The council are trialling new techniques with new cold materials so they’ll be more resistant to bad weather. They say the technique is also faster, reduces carbon, and produces less waste.

Highways and flooding cabinet member Councillor Dom Morris says his main priority is improving the condition of the county’s roads. He says this is why the council is undertaking a huge programme of repairs this summer.

Cllr Morris also wants to make the system of reporting and getting potholes fixed better for members of the public. He said: “We all want better roads, and we are committed to delivering them.

“This year more than 170 roads will be resurfaced and our extra investment means that repairs can be made faster and more efficiently.

“The highways transformation programme is implementing changes to the way we deliver services including introducing ‘find and fix gangs’ to fix potholes earlier, spray injection patching which can fill up to 100 potholes in a day, and trialling innovative new materials to speed up repairs and help them last longer in bad weather.

“Since April we’ve filled over 12,000 potholes and this summer we will be making more improvements to the roads than ever before. These ideas and our £100 million resurfacing investment will deliver results for our residents.”

Credit: Local democracy reporter, Carmelo Garcia