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Pothole epidemic caused by freezing weather

13/02/2009

"Gaping sores" are appearing over the country's road network as the freezing weather causes thousands of potholes to open up, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

The epidemic has been caused by the worst weather in a generation. The association is warning that councils will have to shell out more than the £48million spent last year to fix the 750,000 potholes that blighted English roads.

And local authorities are calling on motorists to keep their eyes open for new potholes and report them so they can be fixed.

The rash of defects has been caused by a process known as 'freeze-thaw'.

This occurs when water enters cracks in the road and then freezes, causing it to expand and break up the road surface, creating deeper than usual potholes.

Chair of the LGA transport board Cllr David Sparks said that councils are "working flat out" to fill the holes that have appeared over the last two weeks, though he warned motorists that temporary solutions would be used until the weather improves in some areas with waterlogged ground.

"Potholes are the gaping sores in our road network and councils know how much motorists want to see the proverbial bandage being applied," he added.

"Getting people safely from A to B is at the top of every council's agenda."

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