A PILOT project to help improve response times for pothole repairs is to be launched in Sidmouth.

A PILOT project to help improve response times for pothole repairs is to be launched in Sidmouth.

Last winter's severe winter weather left Devon County Council (DCC) facing a massive repair bill with potholes forming at three times the normal rate.

The increased workload prompted DCC to find new ways of providing a quicker response to reports of potholes and making longer lasting repairs more efficiently.

Since the end of June, DCC's contractor SWH has been trialling a system which enables them to repair 100 per cent of defects within seven working days of being identified.

The initial trial has been successfully carried out in some areas of East Devon, including Ottery and is now being extended to Sidmouth.

With the new system, temporary repairs are made within seven working days and are then included in the on-going planned programme to undergo permanent repair, normally within a month.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, DCC cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: "We don't want emergency repairs being made and then find we have to go back once or twice to fix them again. That just ends up costing more money and we want to make sure we get it right the first time.

"This trial is allowing us to respond more rapidly to ensure our roads remain safe, and then the permanent repairs can be co-ordinated with other scheduled highway works. The initial feedback from the pilot is that it has resulted in more efficient working and it is minimising delays to motorists.