Milton Keyes City Council to invest in new technology to fix more potholes

It will be spending £100,000 on a new Roadmender Elastomac machine which uses new technology to improve the quality and speed of repairs while being more sustainable and reducing carbon.

The council has been trialling the machine with positive results from MK, and other local authorities. Conventional repair methods can create lengthy disruption to roads due to requiring potholes to be excavated for repairs, while this new technology uses a pioneering material which is poured into and over the top of defects to improve the road surface.

Recent independent analysis has highlighted Milton Keynes has some of the best roads in the country, but a severe winter and wet spring and early summer has seen an increase in road defects.

National research has shown there is a £16.3billion road repair backlog in England.

The council will pay for the purchase by using part of an underspend of the council budget last year.

Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet Member for Public Realm said: “Labour Milton Keynes City Council is investing to fix more potholes.

“Judging by national standards, the roads in Milton Keynes are among the best in the county but we are not complacent. We want to make sure we keep standards high. A severe winter and wet spring and early summer means we have work to do.

“This new machinery will allow us to carry out repairs quickly, reduce lengthy road closures, cut costs and be even more sustainable. Trials have highlighted this new technology works well and so we are investing to make sure we are able to fix our roads more efficiently. The funding is coming

from an underspend in last year’s budget, highlighting that as a well-run council we can afford to invest in new technology like this rather than having to make more and more cuts.

“Nationally we know our roads are in a terrible state and 14 years of Conservative government has left us with a £16.3billion pothole backlog and crumbling roads, however in Milton Keynes Labour is acting quickly on our manifesto pledges and investing in ways to improve roads across the city and lower our carbon footprint.”