West Northamptonshire Council aims to fix potholes and improve roads with £450,000 investment

If you’ve been spotting potholes and cracks recently on roads in West Northamptonshire, you’re not alone. But help may be at hand, as the poor state of the roads has spurred West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to help frustrated residents battle these wheel wrecking issues.

The council plans to invest £450,000 in brand new equipment they believe will improve their ability to carry out road maintenance. The investment is part of WNC's long-term vision to improve roads, maintain paths, signage, and vegetation through the Highways contract. It follows the recent announcement in May that an additional £2.8 million will be allocated to the Highways contract for the upcoming fiscal year (23/24).

Councillor Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways, and Waste at WNC, said of the project: “We know that the condition of our roads, verges and signage is very important to all of our road users. We are pleased to be investing in new and advanced technology which will benefit our road users and enable us to work with Kier to provide an improved service across the area.”

The new technology includes a thermal road repair machine and the JCB Pothole Pro, obtained through a collaboration with its Highways partner, Kier. The machinery can apparently not only fix existing potholes, but also reduce the amount of future potholes that could form.

John Coombes, general manager for Kier Transportation in West Northamptonshire, said: “We’re thrilled to receive this investment which will allow us to work more efficiently and make more progress on improving road conditions.

"We’re driving innovation in highway technology, enabling us to continue to deliver safe and efficient roads for the residents across West Northamptonshire,” Mr Coombes added.