Sidmouth: Potholes on Devon roads down 27%, county council says

The number of potholes on Devon's roads has gone down by 27 per cent in the last four years, according to Devon County Council.

In 2018, there were 67,989 potholes recorded in the county; in 2021, the number had fallen to 49,871.

The council has said that it comes due to 'extensive preventative work' carried out by its highways teams, and also the use of vehicles known as 'dragon patchers' that use fire and can repair potholes faster than traditional methods.

They have reportedly been used to repair more than 6,400 potholes so far in Devon this financial year.

71 per cent of A roads and 72 per cent of B roads are now rated as being in 'good' condition, according to an index used by the government.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council's Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said that there is a 'direct link' between the condition of Devon's roads and the amount of money the council has to spend.

He said: "The level of government funding we have received has allowed us to invest an additional £30m into roads over the last four years.

"This has made a significant improvement. For instance, 20 per cent more minor roads are now classed as being in good condition."

—————

Got a Sidmouth story you want to share with us? Email [email protected]

For daily updates on what's happening in Sidmouth, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up to our free weekly newsletter featuring exclusive articles for subscribers - just type your email into the box below.