5/2/2010 - Pothole cash for hotbox team in South Lakeland

County councillors in South Lakeland have agreed to divert £100,000 to repair potholes in the district with a new hotbox team.

The recent severe cold snap has left many roads damaged and the new team, which will start next week until Easter, could hold the key to cracking the problem.

The four-man hotbox team will use hot tarmac that can be mechanically compacted, gaining strength much more quickly as it cools, which means repairs using hot tarmac have a longer life expectancy and provide a far better repair.

County Councillor Geoff Cook, chair of South Lakeland local committee, which approved the spending, said: "It is more effective and although initially more expensive it is better value for money than the usual method of filling in potholes - and we hope it will be a step forward.

"The bad weather has really hit our road network and there won’t be a road user in the area that hasn’t been affected by a pothole recently.

"By creating this new hot-box team we are combating one of the major gripes that people in South Lakeland have and ensuring that that the repair will stay in place for longer."

ENDS

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