Matt Warman MP yesterday questioned the Transport Minister about potholes on Lincolnshire’s roads.

Lincolnshire County Council uses a new Roadmaster Velocity Patcher machine, which can fill up to 300 potholes each day, but with more work still to do Matt pushed the Government to encourage greater use of this latest technology.

Matt asked Andrew Jones MP, Department for Transport Roads Minister, “The Roadmaster Velocity Patcher can fill 300 potholes in a day, and Lincolnshire has got one! But we would like more. What can the Minister offer my County Council by way of help to get more and would he consider incentivising councils to work together so that we can increase the nationwide fleet of these fantastic machines?”

The Minister responded, “I am aware of the Roadmaster Velocity Patcher, and the Government certainly supports the use of innovative and efficient methods to maintain our local highways. We have provided a budget of more than £6 billion for highways maintenance, plus there is the Pothole Action Fund. We have introduced incentive elements to the highways maintenance fund, which includes an element of collaboration. I should like to see local authorities working with their neighbours right across the country in exactly the way that my hon. Friend describes.”

After the session, Matt said, “I am pleased that over £6 billion has been earmarked for highways maintenance, with an additional Pothole Action Fund, and it was great to hear the Minister’s encouragement for authorities to work together to maximise efficiency and effectiveness in tackling the national pothole problem. I will continue to work with the County Council to do all I can to make sure we see further improvements.”

Councillor Richard Davies, Executive Member for Highways and Transportation at Lincolnshire County Council, added, “Matt is right to draw the minster’s attention to the benefits of ‘pothole machines’. Here in Lincolnshire we have successfully used them across the county and would welcome support to use them more.”

• The full question and Ministerial response can be read here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-04-28/debates/16042846000026/TopicalQuestions#contribution-16042846000171
  • It can also be watched here: http://goo.gl/qxxfhD (From the time 10:29:03)