Pothole repairs are being stepped up during the dry weather, says Wiltshire Council.

Roads were badly damaged by the unprecedented level of rainfall received in the wettest winter for generations.

This year, Wiltshire Council has dealt with more than 1,250 flooding-related incidents across the county with 40 per cent more potholes being reported in the first two months of 2014 compared to 2013. 

Wiltshire Council was informed of more than 2,600 road defects by either the public or council staff during that period compared to around 1,900 last year.

The council announced earlier this year it was investing an extra £250,000 to help combat potholes.

The money is in addition to the £52 million increase in road spending announced in November last year that will see 150 miles of the county’s roads resurfaced every year until 2020.

The most urgent repairs are being carried out by 22 community stewards using specialist road repair material, which can be used even where potholes are still full of water.

This means that teams from the council’s highways maintenance contractor, Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP), can target damage that can be repaired quickly without the need to close roads.

There are also four, two-man gangs dealing with the less urgent repairs and a gang working on the larger areas.

A large programme of major resurfacing is underway and will continue for the next six years as Wiltshire Council says it will bring the road network up to standard.

Information on potholes that need filling comes from members of the public, via the MyWiltshire app, social media, email and phone calls to the council on 0300 456 0105, as well as internally from the council’s area teams around the county.

John Thomson, cabinet member for highways, said: “The prolonged period of heavy rain and flooding has clearly damaged our road network.

"We are doing everything we can to keep that damage to a minimum by repairing the roads before they freeze as this can make the damage much worse.

“Our priority is to deal with those where there is a clear safety issue to road users.

"However, the best way to reduce potholes and other damage to our roads is through long-term investment and that is why we, as a council, are spending that additional £52 million over the next six years to ensure Wiltshire’s roads are not just maintained but improved.

"I'd like to thank everyone who has contacted the council to report road defects - by working together we can ensure our roads are as safe as possible."

Anyone wanting to report information on potholes can do so via the MyWiltshire app (available on iPhone or Android), at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywiltshirelogin or by calling 0300 456 0105.