Transport Secretary rolls into Blackpool as seaside town paves way with pothole repairs


Blackpool's groundbreaking scheme to find and fix potholes is set to be rolled out across England in a bid to save councils and drivers money. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh pledged the government will tackle the "pothole plague" - and pointed to Blackpool as an example of how to do it.

Blackpool’s Project Amber scheme uses an advanced imagery system that takes high-definition images of roads to detect defects and compile data on areas most in need of repair. It is hoped systems like these can be replicated across the country.

The Transport Secretary visited Blackpool today to meet with road workers and councillors and see the work for herself. During the visit she reaffirmed the Government’s manifesto commitment to fix up to one million more potholes a year.

READ MORE: Council failed to repair almost 500 potholes reported last year

Ms Haigh even hopped aboard a roller (see video) as she visited Deepdale Road at Mereside to see first-hand how the council is carrying out cutting-edge repairs to the carriageway.

She said: “I’m here in Blackpool looking at their innovative technology for road surfacing and preventing and fixing potholes. I know from travelling all over the country how important fixing potholes is to people. That in lots of places it is the number one priority, so as Transport secretary I am keen that we get on top of that as soon as possible.

“The work they have been doing in Blackpool is genuinely cutting edge. They are doing work to map the state of the roads so they know where funding should be prioritised and where those schemes need to be done. And they have got this work that is far less carbon-intensive and actually recycles the asphalt and the tarmac that is in the road, which is much more environmentally sustainable and is much more financially sustainable as well.

“So there are lots of lessons to be learnt from what they are doing here in Blackpool.”

She added: "For too long, this country has suffered from a pothole plague. Our roads have become a constant and visible reminder of the decline in our country’s infrastructure, which stunts economic growth.

"From drivers to bikers to cyclists, everyone who uses our roads deserves a safe and pleasant journey. That’s why I’ve pledged to support local authorities to fix up to one million more potholes per year.

Blackpool Council are already doing fantastic work to make the most of new technology to repair potholes faster. This should be a model for every community to learn from and help deliver the roads their drivers deserve, so that Britain can get moving."

The Transport Secretary also announced wider plans to tackle the soaring cost of car insurance, accelerate the roll out of electric vehicle charge points, and deliver a new Road Safety Strategy to reduce deaths and injuries on the roads.

Cllr Paula Burdess, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for community safety, street scene and neighbourhoods, said: "It was great to welcome the Secretary of State Louise Haigh to Blackpool today and show her how we deal with the issues around road maintenance and potholes. Blackpool has always been synonymous with innovation - how we look after our roads is no different. I’m really proud that Blackpool are leading the way nationally with innovative road maintenance.

“Our highways team work extremely hard to keep the roads functioning for residents and visitors to the town. We continually strive to use new methods that are quicker and less disruptive, alongside materials that are longer-lasting and better for the environment.

“By repairing the roads at an early stage we can also avoid more costly repairs in the future and ensure our roads stay stronger for longer to create a better Blackpool.”

Launched in 2019 by the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG), Blackpool was the first local authority to use this technology to repair its roads. It has since seen huge reductions in its compensation bill for pothole related pay outs.

In previous years it was paying up to £1.5 million a year to settle claims but last year only paid out £719. The Government will set out how it will achieve its manifesto road resurfacing commitment at the Spending Review.

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