A further £6 million will be spent on renewing Harrow’s roads and pavements.
The measure includes the introduction of a new “pothole squad” with machines to repair and refill the many holes that have become a nuisance for motorists and pedestrians more quickly and effectively.
The budget was approved at a Harrow Council cabinet meeting last week (25 July), with the most pressing shortcomings to be addressed first.
The local authority agreed a £240,000 programme to rehabilitate some of the worst affected roads earlier this year, but the additional £6 million will serve as a “kickstart” for a more comprehensive remediation programme.
David Ashton, Cabinet Member for Finance and Highways, explained the council’s aim to “cosmetically improve” the appearance of the borough and ensure that “the worst roads are tackled first”.
He also suggested that the additional funds would be used to resurface roads that did not meet the criteria for pothole repairs.
Councillor Ashton said: “One of the problems is that what looks like a pothole to you and me is not a pothole because road surfaces are different – some are concrete with a layer of asphalt, some are not. So the road may look like a hole but not meet the so-called specifications.”
In January, it was announced that the council’s highways contractor JB Riney would be setting up a new ‘pothole squad’ to quickly find and repair potholes across the borough. The new £165,000 Pothole Pro JCB machine can complete repairs in just eight minutes.
The council will now examine the use of other machines which it says are “good for the environment, cost-effective and get the job done quickly”.
Last year, more than 1,500 potholes were repaired across the borough. The council said this new financial boost would complement the extra funding and also the road resurfacing work already planned.
Councillor Ashton said: “Residents keep telling us about the condition of some of our roads. Over the last year we have done a lot to repair roads in poor condition but we know more needs to be done, so we are investing more to fix potholes and defects permanently. Using the latest machinery and our dedicated pothole team will help to fix even more potholes and ensure permanent repairs.”
