M6 pothole repairs hit up to 20 a month
Emergency pothole repairs were needed on the M6 at an average of more than 20 times a month last year, latest figures have revealed.
There were 254 occasions that urgent works was necessary on the busy stretch between junction seven at Great Barr and 14 at Stafford North.
The potholes needed to be fixed between January 1 and December 31 last year, statistics released through the Highways Agency have revealed.
The hotspot areas included around junction 10 at Walsall and between 12 at Cannock and 13 at Stafford.
Highways bosses insist work is carried out to keep traffic flowing.
Highways Agency spokesperson Abbas Abdulla said: "The Highways Agency has a comprehensive road inspection and maintenance programme to reduce the potential for potholes and other surface defects.
"When we award our maintenance contracts, the companies tendering include the cost of routine and emergency road surface repair as part of their bid. As such, these repairs are carried out at no additional cost to the taxpayer.
"We are confident the regime for identifying such defects on the M6, and the resources for undertaking such repairs is sufficient to keep England's motorways in a safe and serviceable condition."
The busy motorway stretch is used by 160,000 motorists a day and the amount of pothole repairs on roads across the region is expected to rise this year following the bad weather. The bitter snow which has battered the region has seen signs of extra craters opening up. It comes as the latest stage of work to open up an extra lane of the M6 during busy periods, between West Bromwich and Birmingham, is continuing.
