Bromley Council is more than doubling its road resurfacing budget to more than 拢5m in the coming year and speeding up pothole repairs by trialling Viafix asphalt.
Unlike traditional hot asphalt, Viafix comes in a sack, is highly viscose and can be laid by one operative in any weather condition, even in the rain and where puddles have formed. The process involves cutting a regular patch around the hole, removing the loose material, applying a glue, pouring the Viafix into the hole and then rolling it.
Bromley Council has been persuaded that each repair job will take, on average, just 20 minutes, reducing road closures and speeding up repairs. Each repair is guaranteed for two years.
Bromley is the latest in a line of UK local authorities to move to this method. Viafix manufacturer Viatec鈥檚 website boasts testimonials from East Lothian, Cambridgeshire and Renfrewshire councils.
Bromley councillor Nicholas Bennett, executive councillor for transport, highways & road safety, said: 鈥淚 am very conscious as a resident and motorist that the torrential rain this winter has created hundreds of new potholes and worsened others creating a backlog of repairs. This is unacceptable. The best way to prevent them is resurfacing the road. As London鈥檚 largest borough with more than 547 miles of road, equal to the distance to Zurich in Switzerland, we are limited how many roads can be done each year but we are doubling the money spent to over 拢5m, using a new grant and modernising the way we tackle potholes.鈥�