A £5 million sum is to be pumped into repairing 11,000 potholes plaguing Staffordshire's roads following the prolonged winter freeze-ups.

Commuters and residents alike are set to rejoice after Staffordshire County Council unveiled the multi-million investment to tackle the pothole menace following one of the longest winters on record.

The figure is on top of an existing £23.5 million roads budget from highways chiefs to tackle current issues on the roads and try to prevent further problems in the future.

The added funding will allow for a number of actions to be taken, including the ongoing use of four pothole 'zapping' machines, two of which are owned by the council with a further two rented.

One of the potholes in Shobnall Road

Weighed at 18 tonnes, the machines work alongside crews for routine maintenance and surface dressings. They help to speed up repairs, prime the roads and fill potholes.

There will be a further 12 patching crews added for regular maintenance of the roads, along with drainage improvement works at locations with known drainage problems. Poor drainage can contribute to the number of potholes on a road.

The funding will also see extra surface dressing on the road, to improve its resilience.

Cabinet support member for highways and transport at Staffordshire County Council, Helen Fisher said: "A bad winter really does take its toll on the road and although we still had snow until a few weeks ago we are determined to get back on the front foot in tackling repairs.

"In a county as huge as Staffordshire we do have to prioritise repairs on our busiest roads where they pose the biggest risk to members of the public and this further investment on top of the extra £5 million last year will help us rise to the challenge.

"Good roads are important to the council, to the economy and to our communities and I would ask people to bear with us as our crews are out and about over the spring and summer doing as much as they can to fix the potholes."

One of Staffordshire County Council's Pothole 'zapping' machine
One of Staffordshire County Council's Pothole 'zapping' machine

Readers have told the Burton Mail recently about a number of areas in need of improvement on the county's roads, including Alma Road, in Newhall, Aviation Lane, High Street and Worthington Way junction and under the bridge near the National Brewery Centre in Burton and Brackenwood Road in Stapenhill.

Have you got any potholes in the area you want to be highlighted? Let us know.

How do potholes form?

They are caused by the expansion and contraction of ground water after the water has entered into the ground under the pavement.

If it has a chance to freeze, it will take up more space under the surface, and the pavement will expand, bend and crack, which weakens the material pavement.

Then when ice melts, the pavement contracts and leaves gaps or voids in the surface under the pavement, where water can get in and become trapped.

Avoiding potholes

  • Keep your eyes peeled - Protect yourself and your car by keeping an eye out for potholes and watching your speed, particularly in wet weather when deep potholes may be hidden beneath puddles.

  • Maintain your distance - Leave plenty of distance between your car and the vehicle in front so you can see potholes in advance.

  • Stay alert - Be aware of other traffic or pedestrians on the road before changing course to avoid a pothole.

  • Watch your speed - Striking potholes at higher speeds can cause more damage to your vehicle.

  • Avoid unnecessary braking – Try not to apply your brakes when driving over a pothole. When you brake you tilt the vehicle forward placing more stress on the front suspension.

  • Drive over potholes with care - If you have to drive over a pothole, allow the wheel to roll freely into the hole.

  • Hold the steering wheel correctly - Make sure you are holding the steering wheel properly – "10 to 2" hands position – when driving on a road with potholes. Failure to do so may mean you lose control of your vehicle.

  • Recovering lost parts - if your vehicle sustains damage while travelling, such as a lost hubcap, ensure you stop in a safe location before attempting to recover it.

  • Safety first - If you wish to inspect any damage to your car, ensure that you stop in a safe place.

  • Get checked out - If you have struck a pothole and suspect your car has sustained damage, we recommend you get the vehicle checked out by your local garage. Ask them to verify if there could be any other issues such as problems with tracking and wheel alignment, tyres or suspension.

  • Check tyre pressures regularly to ensure safety as a line of defence against potholes. Recommended tyre pressures can be found in your vehicle's handbook and on the label located inside the driver's side door frame or door post.

How to report a pothole

Potholes can be reported to Derbyshire County Council at https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport_roads/roads_traffic/road_maintenance/potholes/default.asp or Staffordshire County Council at https://apps2.staffordshire.gov.uk/web/reportfault/#divSelectionHeader .