Express & Star

25 roads to be fixed in Dudley after £500k awarded to potholes

Twenty-five roads across Dudley will be repaired after more than £500,000 was awarded to fix potholes.

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The government grant of £567,000 is the largest awarded in the West Midlands and will be used to revamp the streets during a 10-month project.

Over £168m has been set-aside across the country for pothole repairs and following the successful bid for the cash injection work has now begun repairing existing potholes in the area and preventative maintenance.

The work began in June and the funding must be spent by March 2015.

Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member for transportation, said: "Dudley has embarked upon a major programme of pothole repairs using a new approach called 'planer potholes' where damaged surfaces are removed with a small planer attachment that only removes the minimum material required for repair.

"This approach reduces material costs as we are not having to replace a deeper area as is the case with a conventional repair using hand tools."

Mr Ahmed added: "Work started very quickly as a condition of the money is that it is used in the next year. We are making sure we consider the right timing with the weather and the least disruption to road users. Most of the work will be done over the summer months while the children are off.

"We are very pleased with the money, it is very welcome amongst the cuts. We need enormous funding for the roads.

The officers did really well in putting our successful bids together. They wanted a criteria and we had to show them how we would spend the money wisely to make our roads safer and better and our visions were recognised."

Spokeswoman for the council Kate Arnold said: "Defects are accessed within 24 hours of being reported and if deemed dangerous the work is undertaken as soon as possible.

"If they are not dangerous they are placed in our planned programme of reactive works which groups together all works in the same geographical area for efficiency,. Major and arterial routes are being prioritised with the preventative works where applicable."

Roads that will be fixed are: Bisell Way, Quarry Bank; Blackbrook Road Netherton; Catholic Lane, Sedgley; Fieldview Close, Coseley; Hartside Close, Hayley Green; Heath Street, Stourbridge; King Street, Wollaston; Leabank Road, Halesowen; Leander Row, Wollescote; Leys Close, Pedmore; Lindale Crescent, Quarry Bank; Maidendale Road, Kingswinford; Mancroft Close, Kingswinford; Marbury Mews, Brierley Hill; Marine Gardens, Wordsley ; Oldnall Close, Cradley; Pedmore Lane, Pedmore; Pervale Grove, Coseley; Prescott Road, Oldswinford; Prices Road, Lower Gornal; Rokewood Close, Kingswinford; Talbot Street, Brierley Hill; Talbot Street, Lye; Vicarage Close, Brierley Hill; Woodfield Avenue, Wollescote.

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