Call for faster pothole repairs in Wrexham – but will there be funds to match?

Wrexham councillors are keen to see potholes dealt with quicker by the authority’s environment department.

The council’s environment scrutiny committee met to discuss the winter maintenance plan and highway safety inspection policy this week.

But Acrefair North Cllr Paul Blackwell (Lab) said he did not have much confidence in the monthly road inspection process given how long it took to repair a defect in a main road within the county, near Llangollen.

He said: “The road between Bryn Howel in the county boundary and Trevor, there was a big pothole for about two months, cars were trying to avoid the pothole.

“It’s recently been filled in but where was the inspection that stopped that pothole from being filled in?”

Responding, highways officer Huw Ap Dewi explained that potholes were dealt with according to their severity, and use of the road.

He said: “Depending on the classification of the road that will determine how often we do an inspection.

“The ability to report a pothole is there to cover those areas where a pothole may have developed during the period where we haven’t done an inspection.

“If a report comes in and there’s a pothole on the road we haven’t done an inspection for, and we’re not due to go back for a certain period, then that’s where the form comes in.

“We’ll send the inspectors back out and do the inspection, categorise that defect and it will be responded to depending on that categorisation.”

Mr ap Dewi added that certain roads which are unclassified or not as well used as the A and B roads, will be left longer between visits on the inspection schedule.

Chairing the meeting Ponciau Cllr Paul Pemberton (Ind) said he reports potholes as soon as he sees them, but Cllr Blackwell said “it shouldn’t be up to us”, questioning the policy of inspecting on a monthly basis which he felt was not happening.

Mr ap Dewi insisted the monthly schedule took place, but that if the pothole did not meet the required level for intervention it would not be prioritised for repair.

Pant and Johnstown Cllr Steve Joe Jones (Ind) said he was concerned about the time it takes from reporting a pothole to repair, given it could be up to five days until it is inspected.

He also had concerns that Streetscene inspectors are spread thinly, being called to other matters such as trimming hedges or clearing glass away.

Mr ap Dewi said hot box’s helped with the speed of repairs, but councillors felt the policy wording needed tightening to ensure potholes are dealt with within 10 days, rather than the 15 days which included five days for inspection to take place.

Cllr Pemberton said: “I think the 10 day lead-in to get the repairs done on the potholes should be set in stone.

“If it says 10 days, it should be 10 days from the report, not 15 as it could be.

“Okay you’re going to have some circumstances when it’s impossible but the recommendation is that the department does its upmost to complete that repair within 10 working days.”

While the recommendation was welcomed by lead member for the environment, Rossett Cllr Hugh Jones (Con) said funding could be an issue.

He said: “I hope the council will provide the department with the necessary funds to meet your aspirations.

“As a local member they are aspirations I too would share, I just hope we have the money to do it.”

The committee voted in favour of Cllr Pemberton’s recommendations that the 10-day period for dealing with potholes is adhered to, and that subject to finance the provision of hot box’s be increased to help with repairs.

By Rory Sheehan – BBC Local Democracy Reporter