Devon County Council has announced a significant acceleration in road repairs across the county, thanks to an additional £10 million investment in its roads budget this year.
This new funding has enabled an extensive scaling-up of repair efforts, addressing critical maintenance needs and tackling deterioration more swiftly.
In a report presented at the Full Council meeting on Thursday, 5 September, Councillor Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, highlighted the accelerated pace of road repairs over the summer months.
The additional funds have allowed for a substantial increase in the scope and speed of repair work.
Since April, more than 18,000 square metres of road surface have been patched across over 350 locations in Devon.
This proactive approach aims to address road sections before major potholes or safety issues develop, ensuring a safer and smoother driving experience.
“The extra money we added to the roads budget is enabling us to go further and faster.
“In the past four months the patching repairs that have been undertaken are already the equivalent of around 80 per cent of the patching achieved for the whole of the last financial year. That highlights the difference this additional funding is making.”
Despite the progress, Hughes emphasised the need for further support from central Government.
Devon currently faces a highway maintenance backlog of £200 million, which grows by £15 million annually.
Nationally, the backlog stands at a record high of £16.3 billion.
He continued: “The last two winters and the extreme rainfall in the first half of this year have caused a huge amount of damage to our roads. Extensive work is being carried out on all categories of roads right across the county, and while we won’t be able to get to every road in need of repair, we’re ensuring our extra investment goes as far as possible.”
Recent patching schemes in North Devon have included:
- Barnstaple: St Georges Road
- Beaford: Road from the Old Parsonage to Upcott Farm
- Bideford: Royston Road
- Great Torrington: School Lane
- Ilfracombe: Queens Avenue
The use of advanced Dragon patchers has facilitated the completion of over 5,250 patches, covering more than 33,000 square metres.
Additionally, a new eco-friendly repair material, Elastomac, has been used on approximately 7,000 square metres of road.
This material, made from recycled road planings and tyres, reduces waste and carbon emissions and cures faster than traditional materials, minimising traffic disruption.
£2 million of the funding has been allocated to drainage improvements, and significant updates have been made to road markings, including over 10 kilometres of double white lines and markings at 175 roundabouts and 197 zebra crossings.
The challenging weather conditions this year resulted in a 54 per cent increase in potholes between April and July compared to the previous year.
In response, Devon County Council has also invested an extra £2 million in highway revenue funding to address these issues, leading to the repair of more than 47,500 potholes so far.
This £12 million investment is in addition to the £59.486 million received from the Department for Transport for the highway maintenance programme this year.
The annual major resurfacing programme is ongoing, with recent work completed on the A3072 Three Meadows to Highampton, repairs scheduled for the A377 Copplestone this month, and the A3052 Harepath Hill in Seaton set for October.
Councillor Hughes also noted the Council’s collaboration with the Devon Association of Local Councils (DALC) to enhance communication with town and parish councils.
A series of events are being held to address various issues related to roadworks and maintenance, fostering better understanding and cooperation.