Council fixes thousands of potholes in 'ongoing battle' to banish them from Milton Keynes roads

This averages out to one pothole fixed every nine minutes of the working day.

MK Council had predicted it would fix 7,000 potholes last year but a combination of freezing temperatures last winter coupled with a decision to fix shallower holes resulted in the number almost doubling.

In late 2018 the council announced three new pothole-defeating points to keep MK roads in better shape. The first was to change the depth potholes need to reach to be investigated for repair from 50mm to 40mm.

The second was to instruct teams out making a repair on one pothole to also fix all nearby holes regardless of depth.

And the final one was a pledge to repair potholes wider than 300mm.

The resulting pothole purge cost the council spent £1.7m, which was £750,000 more than expected.

While the extra highways spend has been partly offset by a programme to fit energy efficient streetlights, the council has had to boost its pothole budget and make other savings elsewhere.

Council leader Pete Marland said: “Fixing potholes is a round the clock priority for us. Heavy rain, cold temperatures and heatwaves all contribute to potholes forming. We make sure potholes are repaired properly the first time around to avoid costly revisits, but it’s an ongoing battle.

“It’s an investment we think is important, which is why we’re adding extra money to MK’s road repair budget this year.”