Dumfries and Galloway Council Roads Service Investment
Tuesday, 22 August 2023 10:54
As part of its additional £30m investment over the next five years, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Roads Service has recruited 13 new operatives. The report presented to Communities Committee on 22 August confirmed that this is the first phase of recruitment with the service, and that we are looking to recruit further frontline staff shortly. A hugely successful recruitment campaign, which received over 100 applications, has resulted in new staff being employed in depots across the region – making a positive contribution to their local communities.
The report also set out plans for how the service is increasing work in tackling road repairs over the next few months as part of their repair programme, to ensure the investment is prioritised in those parts of the road network where maintenance is most needed.
Alongside its regular works programme of road repairs, the Roads Service is starting an additional £1 million of carriageway patching works across the region’s roads. This investment will be spread right across the region, ensuring that a minimum of £50,000 of additional repairs will be undertaken in each of the 12 wards. During August and September, the Council will have five spray injection patching teams and two thermal patching teams operating in addition to its normal resources.
Thermal patching is an ultra-eco-friendly repair system which provides permanent repairs to large areas of the region’s road surfaces. The equipment reheats the existing road surface, bringing it back to a workable state where it can be recycled and used again. The use of spray injection patching equipment allows the patching teams to spray filler directly into the pothole or road defect enabling defects repairs to be completed more quickly.
Councillor Ian Blake, Chair Communities Committee explains, “It is essential that the additional investment approved at Full Council in February is used wisely to ensure the maximum benefit. The first step was to build up our workforce to ensure that we have the resources required to deliver this major maintenance programme. I am delighted to see that we have recruited 13 new operatives so far, increasing our capacity to maintain the regions roads. This can only be a positive step for our Roads Service and the region as we create good quality jobs, growing local employment opportunities.”
Councillor Jackie McCamon, Vice Chair Communities Committee, “The additional investment in plant and equipment of this type will enable us to repair more potholes and improve the condition of our carriageways. It is a fantastic opportunity to look at new more eco-friendly methods of road repairs as we seek to improve the condition of our roads in Dumfries and Galloway, which are so vital in connecting communities and building our economy.”
ENDS
The report also set out plans for how the service is increasing work in tackling road repairs over the next few months as part of their repair programme, to ensure the investment is prioritised in those parts of the road network where maintenance is most needed.
Alongside its regular works programme of road repairs, the Roads Service is starting an additional £1 million of carriageway patching works across the region’s roads. This investment will be spread right across the region, ensuring that a minimum of £50,000 of additional repairs will be undertaken in each of the 12 wards. During August and September, the Council will have five spray injection patching teams and two thermal patching teams operating in addition to its normal resources.
Thermal patching is an ultra-eco-friendly repair system which provides permanent repairs to large areas of the region’s road surfaces. The equipment reheats the existing road surface, bringing it back to a workable state where it can be recycled and used again. The use of spray injection patching equipment allows the patching teams to spray filler directly into the pothole or road defect enabling defects repairs to be completed more quickly.
Councillor Ian Blake, Chair Communities Committee explains, “It is essential that the additional investment approved at Full Council in February is used wisely to ensure the maximum benefit. The first step was to build up our workforce to ensure that we have the resources required to deliver this major maintenance programme. I am delighted to see that we have recruited 13 new operatives so far, increasing our capacity to maintain the regions roads. This can only be a positive step for our Roads Service and the region as we create good quality jobs, growing local employment opportunities.”
Councillor Jackie McCamon, Vice Chair Communities Committee, “The additional investment in plant and equipment of this type will enable us to repair more potholes and improve the condition of our carriageways. It is a fantastic opportunity to look at new more eco-friendly methods of road repairs as we seek to improve the condition of our roads in Dumfries and Galloway, which are so vital in connecting communities and building our economy.”
ENDS