Additional highway crews deployed to repair more potholes across Staffordshire

Additional highway maintenance teams are being deployed across Staffordshire this summer as part of a wider effort to address potholes and other road defects throughout the county.

By the end of June, 14 new repair crews will be operating from the county’s four highway depots in Leek, Lichfield, Gailey and Stone. Their primary focus will be on repairing potholes and carrying out essential road maintenance, taking advantage of favourable weather conditions to complete as many repairs as possible.

Working alongside existing highway teams, the expanded workforce is intended to significantly increase the number of repairs completed across the network, with the aim of tackling more potholes than ever before by March 2027, subject to weather conditions.

The additional crews form part of a £15 million investment programme being delivered over the next two years by Staffordshire County Council. The funding is targeted at reducing the backlog of lower-priority potholes and defects that may not present immediate safety concerns but still require attention.

As well as increasing staffing levels, the investment will support the use of newer repair techniques, including screeding and velocity patching, allowing teams to use the most appropriate methods and equipment for different types of road defects.

Patrick Allen, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Support Member for Highways North, said:

“It’s great to see these new crews up and running, and they will make a real difference to local communities. Our hope is that in the coming months, residents will see an improvement on the roads, with many of those lower-level potholes that have perhaps been there for some time, finally fixed.

“Added to this, we are investing in new machinery and new ways of working, to ensure our crews have everything they need to get on with the job of fixing, and are working as efficiently as possible. Looking after some 4,000 miles of highway network is no easy task, but by getting more boots on the ground and having more ways to repair different types of defects, residents should really start to see smoother journeys across the county in the coming weeks and months.”

The council says the teams will continue working throughout the summer and into autumn as part of the ongoing maintenance programme.

Residents wishing to report potholes or other highway-related issues can do so through the council’s online reporting service.