Council introduces new machines to tackle potholes across Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire County Council has unveiled two new machines designed to improve the speed and quality of pothole repairs across the county.

The equipment, known as the JCB Pothole Pro, weighs around 13 tonnes and is designed to cut out sections of damaged road to enable cleaner and more durable repairs. According to the manufacturer, the machines can operate up to four times faster than traditional repair methods.

The council has purchased the machines at a cost of £66,000 each, with both set to undergo a 12-month trial period. They were officially launched at County Hall, with plans for deployment on local roads beginning next week.

The initiative forms part of a broader programme to improve road conditions, which also includes the introduction of eight additional pothole repair crews. The wider highways investment programme is valued at £181.25 million, with some funding support provided by the East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward.

Council leader Mick Barton said road maintenance remains a top priority and expressed confidence in the new technology, suggesting the machines could repair between 200 and 250 metres of road per day. He described them as a strong option for addressing the county’s pothole backlog, based on research and observations of their use elsewhere.

However, the move has drawn criticism from opposition members. Conservative group leader Sam Smith said previous trials of the same equipment had not delivered sufficient value for money and questioned its suitability for Nottinghamshire’s road network.

He pointed to earlier feedback from highways officers and contractor Via East Midlands, which suggested the machines were effective in some situations but less suited to narrower residential streets.

Smith argued that the council should take a more measured approach rather than seeking a single solution to road maintenance challenges.