Sandwell Council continues to lead the way in maintaining roads and tackling potholes, according to the latest National Highways & Transport (NHT) Public Satisfaction Survey.
Sandwell is ranked among the top three or four local authorities nationally for the condition of its highway network and the council’s approach to pothole prevention.
The borough also features in the top 10 nationally for key highway maintenance measures, including:
- Quality of repairs to damaged roads – fourth nationally
- Number of potholes – seventh nationally
- Condition of road markings – eighth nationally
Within the West Midlands, Sandwell ranks best for five separate highway maintenance measures, demonstrating consistent performance across the borough.
A separate survey, supported by M·E·L Research, shows that resident satisfaction with road maintenance in Sandwell is more than double the national local government benchmark.
Potholes often form when water seeps into small cracks in the road surface and expands when frozen, eventually causing the surface to break up. The council tackles this by sealing the cracks early, applying protective surface covering and using a proactive maintenance programme to extend the lifespan of roads.
To further improve efficiency, Sandwell has invested in innovative machinery, including the Multihog, which allows the council to prepare road surfaces quickly for repairs when potholes do appear, reducing the need for temporary fixes and enabling more potholes to be repaired ‘right first time’.
Councillor Keith Allcock, Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways at Sandwell Council, said: “We are proud that Sandwell is recognised nationally for the outstanding condition of our roads. This achievement reflects years of consistent investment, smart planning, and a commitment to doing things the right way. Not only are we one of the top performers in the country for overall road condition, but we’re also leading the way in the speed, quality and reliability of our pothole repairs.
“What makes this even more impressive is that we deliver all of this while remaining highly efficient and keeping the cost per mile exceptionally low. Through the use of innovative technology, data-led maintenance and forward-thinking repair methods, we’re able to make every pound go further.”
