Surprise pothole repair trial targets key West Devon roads in new council plan

Devon County Council will pilot a new approach to pothole repairs in selected parts of the county as part of its £83 million highways maintenance programme for 2025/26.

The trial, which was approved by Cabinet on 25 June, will test the impact of filling all potholes in chosen areas, not just those categorised as safety defects.

However, the exact details of the trial are still to be agreed, including where and when it will take place.

The aim is to explore whether a blanket repair approach could be more effective and efficient in the long term, particularly on lower-category roads.

Councillor Dan Thomas, Cabinet Member for Highways, told colleagues: “We’re asking for a trial in a few areas to fill all potholes, not just safety defects, when visiting a site. By asking to trial this change, it’s a very different notion from where we were before.

“We want to establish what the cost implications are and how effective that would be on the lower category roads.”

He said Devon is facing a £390 million repair backlog and spends around £102 million a year just to maintain a ‘steady state’. “We don’t have that,” he said, blaming “gross under-resourcing by central government” for the poor condition of roads.

The £83 million capital-funded maintenance programme includes:

• £56 million for road maintenance and surface treatments

• £14.5 million for patching, drainage improvements and resurfacing on B and C roads

• £3.5 million for small resurfacing schemes on key local routes

• £11.2 million for preventative treatments like surface dressing and micro asphalt

• £12.9 million for large safety defect patching

• £1.6 million to support the council’s fleet of Dragon Patchers

A-road resurfacing not part of pothole trial

While the pothole blitz trial will focus on a few unspecified areas, the council also confirmed that more than £8.7 million will go into resurfacing and preventative treatments on major A-roads to keep them in good condition.

These works include stretches of the A379, A385, A390, A39, A361, A386, A396, and A399 across Devon, including in Exeter, Barnstaple, Totnes, Ilfracombe, and Tavistock.

The council is also expanding its use of Elastomac, a partly recycled material trialled on Devon roads that cures faster and reduces carbon emissions.

Road markings are being upgraded with Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) - a safer, longer-lasting alternative to thermoplastic paint.

Elsewhere in the capital programme:

• £9.5 million will fund bridge and structure repairs, including the replacement of Martinhoe Bridge and repairs to Pinhoe Railway Bridge

• £2.95 million will target drainage improvements

• £1.2 million will maintain public rights of way and cycle networks, with an extra £750,000 for access trail upgrades