Potholes No Match for Highways Crews: 18,000 Filled in Just 5 Months

Staffordshire’s road crews have been on a roll - quite literally - filling nearly 18,000 potholes since May, thanks to a strong summer effort and a bit of dry weather luck.

Across the county (yes, including our Burton roads), crews have been out in force fixing defects to get ahead before winter does its worst.

They’ve also checked almost 50,000 road gullies to make sure they’re ready for the wet and windy months ahead.

In July, Staffordshire County Council added a second JCB Pothole Pro to its fleet - essentially a Swiss Army knife on wheels that helps speed up pothole repairs. The aim? To make a serious dent (pun intended) in the county’s road repair backlog.

🗣️ Cllr Patrick Allen, Cabinet Support Member for Highways North, explained:

“Our crews have been making the most of the good weather to fix as many defects as possible. This work sets us up well for winter, when the weather inevitably takes a toll on the roads.”

While winter gritting is now a top priority, the pothole patrol isn’t stopping. Repairs will carry on throughout the colder months.

The council has also launched a major plan called the Roadmap to a Better Highways Network. It focuses on doing things differently - fixing roads properly the first time, using smart technology, and calling on government for fairer, long-term funding.

“We’re committed to doing things differently,” Patrick added. “And we’ll continue turning the tide so residents can see and feel the difference. This is just the start.”