Devon County Council announces £4m highways investment

Devon County Council is set to introduce rapid-response road repair teams as part of a £4 million investment package aimed at improving highways across the county.

The funding was approved by the council’s cabinet during a meeting on Wednesday, 20 May, where members also agreed to extend a successful pothole repair pilot scheme for another year.

The decision follows the authority identifying £7.8 million in savings and reviewing the outcomes of the earlier trial carried out in Barnstaple South, Hatherleigh, Chagford and North Tawton.

Speaking at the meeting, council leader Julian Brazil said strong financial management, efficiency measures and careful control of service demand had enabled the authority to reinvest in key frontline services.

Cllr Brazil said: “The council is in a strong position because of the disciplined way we have managed our finances over the past year.

“Officers have worked hard with members to ensure we are finally reversing many years of under-investment in our highways.

“We know improving our roads is one of residents’ top priorities.

“Motorists can be assured the county’s roads will be in a better state next year than they are today.”

The original pilot scheme allowed highways teams to repair additional defects within a 500-metre radius while already attending reported potholes.

As part of the trial, around 4,000 square metres of repairs were completed, significantly increasing the amount of work usually undertaken in one location.

Independent inspections confirmed that all repairs checked met the required standards, and no concerns were raised by the public regarding the quality of the work.

However, the trial also revealed that the 500-metre approach identified more repair work than teams were able to complete.

Cabinet members heard that the next phase of the scheme would retain the most effective elements of the original trial while addressing the challenges identified, supported by the extra investment.

Councillor Dan Thomas, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “The trial delivered clear benefits, with extra repairs completed while inspections continued and safety defects fixed on time.

“It also let us tackle smaller defects before they worsened and reduced the need for repeat visits.

“We know better roads are one of residents’ top priorities, and this funding will help us deliver visible improvements.

“It is about reinvesting savings in frontline services people rely on every day and delivering real improvements for communities across Devon.”