'Buy machine to tackle pothole crisis' say Wolverhampton Tories

It is one of the proposals in the party's alternative budget which put before this evening's meeting of the council, where members backed a 4.99 per cent rise in council tax and a £17.2 million package of cuts.

Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the Conservative opposition on the Labour-controlled council, called for the council to hire a JCB Pothole Pro machine for 12 months to speed up road repairs. 

Councillor Bennett said potholes are one of the most common complaints from residents, with drivers facing damage to their vehicles and dangerous driving conditions.

He said the machine would allow the council’s existing maintenance teams to fix potholes up to four times faster than current methods, significantly reducing disruption for motorists and improving road safety.

The proposed one-year pilot scheme, costing £249,000, would allow the council to assess the effectiveness of this approach in delivering longer-lasting repairs while reducing the need for costly repeat work.

He said: "Our roads are in a shocking state, and residents have had enough of waiting weeks or even months for potholes to be repaired. 

"We need a smarter, more efficient way to fix our roads, and hiring a JCB Pothole Pro is a proven solution that will get the job done faster.

"Labour’s failure to properly maintain our roads is costing motorists inrepairs and compensation claims, and it’s time for a fresh approach."

But Councillor Steve Evans, deputy leader of the council, said the machine would be a 'sticking plaster' solution that would only fix the potholes temporarily.

Last year, Wolverhampton Council paid £2,000 to motorist Nick Birch after he sued the council for damage to his car, caused by a pothole in Clifford Street, Whitmore Reans.

Councillor Bennett said the cost of the machine could be funded by a one per cent reduction in spending across council departments, excluding adult care, children's services, education and public health.

But Councillor Evans said there was no guarantee these savings could be found, and said there was a danger of eating into reserves.

"I would say that is poor economics," he said.

Councillor Evans said that the Government had made money available for repairing potholes, following years of neglect by the Conservatives.

Councillor Qaiser Azeem, cabinet member for transportation, said the council had spent almost £10 million over the past year, filling in more than 7,900 potholes, using a proven, data-driven strategy.

He said replacing the surface dressing on the city's roads was crucial to preventing potholes appearing in the first place and the council had resurfaced 216 square miles of road.