Discussion
From my observations a large % of the current many pot holes in our roads are where the road has been dug up for works by a company other than the local council.
Surely the councils have records of exactly who dug every hole in every road and so should be able to pinpoint where a pot hole is due to poor re-making of the road surface and then command the company to come back and repair it at their own cost?
Surely this would both repair a large majority of the pot holes that we currently have and also set a prescience going forward for companies to ensure their repairs are up to standard?
Am I being a little too optimistic here??
Surely the councils have records of exactly who dug every hole in every road and so should be able to pinpoint where a pot hole is due to poor re-making of the road surface and then command the company to come back and repair it at their own cost?
Surely this would both repair a large majority of the pot holes that we currently have and also set a prescience going forward for companies to ensure their repairs are up to standard?
Am I being a little too optimistic here??
Any company that digs up a road (assuming there needs to be some sort of traffic management like cones/barriers/traffic lights etc.) have to notify the council of the streetworks. Usually, this is done electronically under the ETON 6 regulations. Which road, start finish time, what type of traffic management is required etc.
However, if Company A go and dig a hole, notify the council when and where, then notify them that they'be done a jolly good job, the council will take their word for it. They will not go out and inspect the work. Only when they receive a complaint that there's a meteor sized pothole in the road, can they issue a remedial notice to Company A. Depending on the classification of road, this can mean big fines for Companies digging.
However, if Company A go and dig a hole, notify the council when and where, then notify them that they'be done a jolly good job, the council will take their word for it. They will not go out and inspect the work. Only when they receive a complaint that there's a meteor sized pothole in the road, can they issue a remedial notice to Company A. Depending on the classification of road, this can mean big fines for Companies digging.
I see a large number of potholes that never seem to get repaired properly and come back time and time again.
I'm not an expert on road construction, but I did labour for a tarmac laying company over my summers at university, and if we had to patch a drive (after a burst pipe, drain etc) then we cut it out square, made good the base, put down plenty of tack, put the coarser base tarmac down followed up with finer grade top layer. Now I see guys chucking a shovel full of cold-mix tarmac in a pothole full of water and hitting it with the back of his shovel. Lo and behold 3 weeks later the pot hole is back (surrounded by loose tarmac chippings).
I'm not an expert on road construction, but I did labour for a tarmac laying company over my summers at university, and if we had to patch a drive (after a burst pipe, drain etc) then we cut it out square, made good the base, put down plenty of tack, put the coarser base tarmac down followed up with finer grade top layer. Now I see guys chucking a shovel full of cold-mix tarmac in a pothole full of water and hitting it with the back of his shovel. Lo and behold 3 weeks later the pot hole is back (surrounded by loose tarmac chippings).
RTB said:
I see a large number of potholes that never seem to get repaired properly and come back time and time again.
I'm not an expert on road construction, but I did labour for a tarmac laying company over my summers at university, and if we had to patch a drive (after a burst pipe, drain etc) then we cut it out square, made good the base, put down plenty of tack, put the coarser base tarmac down followed up with finer grade top layer. Now I see guys chucking a shovel full of cold-mix tarmac in a pothole full of water and hitting it with the back of his shovel. Lo and behold 3 weeks later the pot hole is back (surrounded by loose tarmac chippings).
Was thinking about this exact thing on my way into work this morning. Just before I get to my work car park there is a junction with 5-6 small but deep potholes. You have to be quite careful how you come off the junction because if you drop a wheel into one of them it would likely cause significant damage. They have been repaired at least four times this year already but the repairs last a few days at the most. What's the point? I'm not an expert on road construction, but I did labour for a tarmac laying company over my summers at university, and if we had to patch a drive (after a burst pipe, drain etc) then we cut it out square, made good the base, put down plenty of tack, put the coarser base tarmac down followed up with finer grade top layer. Now I see guys chucking a shovel full of cold-mix tarmac in a pothole full of water and hitting it with the back of his shovel. Lo and behold 3 weeks later the pot hole is back (surrounded by loose tarmac chippings).
Even more inexcusable is a pothole on the exit of a roundabout on a busy dual carriageway. It's wide enough that you have to come off the round about on a very unnatural line to avoid it. It's deep enough that I'm sure it could cause proper damage. Again repaired two or three times already this year and it's back again.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff