Pothole Busters back blitzing Basingstoke's potholes

Pothole Busters are back on Basingstoke roads tackling potholes and roadside defects formed from this winter’s extreme cold weather. An extra £1million will be spent across the county, doubling the number of gangs at work on the roads.

Pothole Busters will at be work along Baughurst Road from the junction with Heath End road towards the Wellington Arms, and then in Franklin Avenue in Tadley.

Work completed already includes fixing road defects in Bramley, Oakley and Mapledurwell.

Residents can report faults, such as roadside defects, problems with pavements, and overgrown vegetation affecting the roads and pavements through the County Council’s contact centre Hantsdirect – 0845 603 5633 or via the website – http://www3.hants.gov.uk/roads/online-facilities .These fault reports are followed up to decide if there is a need for urgent repair or it can wait for scheduled work in the area, which is more cost effective

Hampshire is a large county, with many miles of rural roads, and potholes form as heavy traffic and water take a toll on these road surfaces. The extra pothole gangs will be tackling the damage caused by February’s snow and subsequent ‘freeze thaw’ on the roads. The work will be carried out by Amey, the County Council’s highways maintenance contractor.

Amey also carries out a range of highways maintenance work for the County Council including sorting out drainage problems, vegetation encroachment, maintaining pavements, and ensuring road signs are clear and visible.

Each year the County Council carries out systematic highway inspections and a series of surveys into the condition of the roads and pavements throughout Hampshire. This helps decide how to prioritise repairs.