Westmorland and Furness Council is harnessing extra resources to help repair damage to the Councils roads caused by freezing winter temperatures.
The Council is using innovative jet patching machines to fix potholes, carry out emergency road repairs and seal worn sections of carriageway.
There will be three jet patching machines deployed on the Westmorland and Furness Council road network.
The high-powered pothole patching equipment uses a bitumen emulsion that is forced into every crack and crevice under high pressure to fill a pothole.
Jet patchers are capable of carrying out up to 150 road repairs each day, making them a highly efficient and a cost-effective way of repairing damaged road surfaces.
These machines can permanently repair a pothole in about two minutes – a fraction of the time it usually takes conventional repair methods. The repairs are instantly ready to take vehicles reducing disruption to the public and providing a long-lasting repair.
Phil Greenup, Assistant Director of Sustainable Transport and Highways said:
“This winter has seen severe weather and freezing temperatures, which have taken their toll on the condition of roads in Westmorland and Furness.
“Repairing damaged road surfaces is one of the top priorities for the Council and the deployment of the jet patchers to support this is essential.
This is in addition to the Council’s Highways Team’s work, who continue to maintain the roads, keeping them safe for road users.”