Could an app be the answer to Wrexham’s potholes?

Crowdsourced big data could be used across Wales to help get to grips with its crumbling roads and potholes.

Welsh Assembly’s economy, infrastructure and skills committee published a report into its inquiry on “The State of Roads in Wales” – with a famous front page title picture showing a lorry passing by a large pothole on the A525 near Bronington.

The 40 page report is packed with recommendations following months of evidence gathering by AM’s from expert groups.

One recommendation which catches the eye is the potential adoption of a mobile app like Boston’s ‘Street Bump.’

Volunteers in the US City of Boston have been using the Street Bump app since 2012, the crowd-sourcing project automatically collects road condition data on smartphones while they drive.

The system filters out things like manhole covers and speed bumps, if at least three people hit a dip or bump in the same spot, the system recognises it as a pothole.

The ‘real time’ data is then used to pinpoint potholes and other issues with the road surface.

The committee report recommends the Welsh Government should evaluate whether the Boston’s Street Bump could be used to improve the quality of real time data available for Wales’ road network.

According to the annual Asphalt Industry Alliance survey it’ll take 24 years and £600m to clear the backlog of carriageway repairs in Wales, with an estimated one time catch up cost per local authority of nearly £70m.

In giving evidence to the Assembly committee, Leeds University said it costs “between 17 and 19 times more to do odd fixes rather than doing planned asset management upgrading.”

Chairman of the committee, Russell George AM said: :The condition of Wales’ roads is a matter of great importance to all of us.

“The road network is one of the nation’s greatest assets, worth an estimated £13.5bn, and covers over 21,000 miles.

“One of the sobering aspects of this inquiry has been how many of the issues raised in previous studies remain difficult.

“There is an overwhelming consensus that long term funding for local government and trunk road agencies would lead to improvements – but we remain stuck in an annual cycle.

“Indeed, the lack of money and priority for repairs stands out. Without sufficient funding, the roads we have will deteriorate.”

“Committee Members were mindful of how much the public talks about the state of our roads, and we were keen to enable people to contribute to this work.”

This week Wrexham Councillors were given a few nuggets about road repairs locally during a budget examination, with it revealed more short term mid range material fixes take place to allow more roads to be fixed, rather less but longer term repairs.

Clr Sonia Benbow-Jones uncovers an issue that appears to cause overspend. Lack of info shared on what is underneath our highways. Council knows what they have done, but what third parties do and encounter is not shared. Opportunity for open data to save costs everywhere?

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) October 24, 2018

Oft quoted tale of roads not repaired as well as back in t'day is TRUE. Officer says when £ abundant 100mm deep repairs made to last 15-20yrs. Now might be 50mm to last just 10yrs – but upshot is more roads can be be fixed.

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) October 24, 2018

The 'difficult problem' relates to materials as well, highway repairs use 'mid range materials' rather than 'best performance' that could have double the price. Again noted "Do we do more roads and get 10 years from each road, or do less roads?"

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) October 24, 2018

(Thanks to Deeside.com for flagging up that the report had been published!)