New methods used to 'fight back' against potholes

Dan Rogerson said trials of a new material called Elastomac had proved more successful in Cornwall

New materials and different approaches are helping "fight back" against the problem of potholes, councils in Cornwall and Devon have said.

Devon County Council is carrying out a trial of a system where crews tackle as many potholes as possible in problem areas.

Meanwhile, Cornwall Council has been trialling new materials for repair work which are faster to use and more water resistant.

It comes as local authorities are being asked to show best practice in road repairs to ensure they receive their maximum funding allocation from the government.

Dan Thomas said he wanted crews to feel empowered to fix roads where they deem necessary

Devon County Council is responsible for more than 8,000 miles (12,900km) of roads – the largest road network of any local authority in England.

Under the pilot scheme, when a pothole was reported and deemed worthy of repair, any team going to carry out work was also being encouraged to fix any other potholes within 500m (546 yards) in any direction, officials said.

The council said it wanted to take a more "proactive" approach to fixing potholes before they became safety hazards.

Dan Thomas, Liberal Democrat cabinet member for highways, said: "We'll come out under our policy and mend a piece of road if the pothole is 30cm [1ft] wide or has a 4cm [1.6in] vertical depth. But there are loads of areas on the road that don't meet that criteria.

"This project is all about me encouraging the team to feel empowered to go and fill in those bits that maybe don't meet the criteria but where a reasonable person would want to see them filled in."

'Ten times quicker'

The council is also using new methods for some potholes which can require less labour and equipment and therefore save money.

Simon Kane, contract manager for Devon Highways, said this enabled teams to carry out repairs that were "five to 10 times quicker than conventional repairs".

The trial areas cover parts of Barnstaple, as well as areas in Hatherleigh, Chagford and North Tawton.

If the project is thought to be a success in terms of efficiency and value for money, it could be rolled out across the county in the summer of 2026.

New materials and work practices are being used to tackle potholes across the two counties

Cornwall Council said it had already filled in about 24,600 potholes so far in 2025.

It has also trialled different methods of mending roads and said a new material called Elastomac - made up of recycled aggregates, bitumen and used tyres - had proved successful.

Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat council cabinet transport portfolio holder, explained: "They're having few defects in the areas where they've used it. It stops the water getting in, but it also causes less damage to the rest of the road while they're cutting it - so it really is a win.

"What we're also trying to do here is, if we're coming out to do a pothole that's been reported, if there are things that could be a problem in six months or a year's time, we'll deal with those as well."

The government has introduced a new scheme for allocating road maintenance funding to councils to incentivise best practice from local authorities.

Cornwall received about £32m this financial year - but an additional £12m was dependent on it showing a track record of success.

Rogerson said he understood this and they were striving to make the best use of the resources they had.

He said: "We really are taking the fight back to the potholes. With a changing climate and extreme weather events, there are absolutely challenges.

"By looking to innovate, use money efficiently and use the skills of the people we've got, we can have an impact for the residents of Cornwall."