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‘We’re delighted with their performance’: New machines helping to fix Bucks’ broken roads
High velocity jet patchers are helping to repair Bucks’ broken roads and prepare the county for winter.
Since the council acquired a second machine in the summer, employees have been working double shifts, day and night.
The machines can repair a pothole in a fraction of the time, and with far less manpower, than traditional methods.
The result is that more potholes get repaired far faster.
Peter Hardy, cabinet member for planning and transportation, said: “We’re delighted with the performance of the jet patchers, which are beginning to tackle the problem of the large number of potholes we’ve had over the last two winters.
“But we still have a long way to go to get the roads how the general public would like them to be.”
Between January 1 and September 14 this year 34,284 potholes were fixed across Bucks, compared to 23,873 in the same period last year.
Of the holes filled this year, 22,308 were fixed by traditional pothole gangs and a further 11,976 by jet patchers.
The machines blast the pothole with air, forcing out loose material, dirt or water. A bitumen emulsion bond coat is then forced deep into every crack of the pothole.
Then the chippings are fired at speed through a bitumen spray into the pothole.
Mr Hardy said: “The jet patchers have enabled us to catch up on CAT1 and CAT2 potholes, and to go down a whole road just mending everything.”
This makes it particularly useful for repairing roads with a larger number of potholes, while keeping traffic disruption to a minimum.
Number of jet patchers used by Bucks County Council
Two. Owns one and has access to another.
Cost of a jet patcher
£135,000
Number of crew working with jet patchers
Three
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Weather for Aylesbury
Sunday 26 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 5 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South west
