Government to fund research on pothole repair

Funding for new technology that could help stop potholes from forming has been announced by transport secretary Chris Grayling.

The Government will provide £22.9 million for research and trials on new surface materials or pothole repair.

Real-world tests of new road surfaces and technologies in eight local authorities will see which innovations provide long-term solutions. The Live Labs projects will be delivered by councils, including Kent, Staffordshire, Reading, Suffolk and Solihull and Birmingham, and if successful, could be adopted by other authorities.

These schemes include expanding the test of plastic roads in Cumbria, using kinetic energy off Buckinghamshire roads to power lighting and using geothermal energy created from paths to keep car parks and bus stations in Central Bedfordshire from freezing over.

Grayling said: “Potholes are the number one enemy for road users and this government is looking at numerous ways to keep our roads in the best condition. The trials will see how new technologies work in the real world to ensure our roads are built for the 21st century.”