Pothole-ridden road becomes test for potential fixes

A road has become a test site for potential pothole fixes, with firms testing different methods to find the best way to repair the defects.

A 700m (2,300ft) stretch of Wildmere Road Industrial Estate in Banbury was commandeered by Oxfordshire County Council for the experiment.

It saw the route divided into sections, with nine different firms testing 15 different methods to repair the potholes.

Speaking at the event Liz Leffman, the council's pothole czar, said she hoped it would "provide evidence and information... about what repair methods work best".

"The impact of potholes on our roads this winter, not just in Oxfordshire but nationwide, has been unprecedented," she said.

"We are committed to seeking new and innovative methods of carrying out repairs on our 3,000-mile road network."

The event was the second of its kind in Oxfordshire, with a previous trial testing seven repair methods taking place in Steventon in 2023 in what was a nationwide first.

Some of the repair methods on show on Thursday are already in place in Oxfordshire, whilst others were fresh technology sourced by the county council's contractors M Group.

Richard Lovewell, from M Group, said the firm's work to repair potholes was "a never-ending cycle".

"We always are fighting new potholes," he said, adding that could mean fixing 1,500 a week during the winter months.

"Potholes don't go away - we're continually out on the road in all weathers fixing potholes."

Lovell said the event was "great", with the firm "always looking for innovative ways to be more effective, to deliver more durable repairs".

"For the first time today we've got a safe area to trial a number of different materials and whether they've got the durability," he said.

The repairs carried out in Banbury will now be monitored over the next two years - with the results being compared to judge the best repair methods.