Two thirds of pothole repairs in Fife are temporary

Figures have shown that out of the 23,654 potholes repaired across the Kingdom in the 2018/19 financial year, only 35 percent – or 8354 – were considered permanent.

The remaining two thirds – a total of15,300 – were classed as temporary measures, and repaired to a “lower spec.”

That’s in line with Fife Council’s policy that temporary repairs are carried out when there are a large number of potholes to be dealt with very quickly and it is in the interest of public safety to sacrifice quality for quantity.

You may also be interested in:

Man found dead after Fife crash death mystery

59 new homes planned for Kirkcaldy waterfront

In pictures: the 27 locations in Fife where speed camera vans operate

Transportation is planning to carry out a pilot study later this year to trial changes intended to increase the proportion of higher quality, permanent repairs, and reduce response times.

At the full Fife Council meeting on Thursday, Councillor Jonny Tepp quesioned if the current policy was successful.

Councillor Altany Craik, economy convener, said: “Our officers carry out our policies as directed and obviously the number show that we are filling these potholes properly.

“I’ve heard the frustration about potholes many times. If Cllr Tepp has concerns about the policy, he’s more than welcome to arrange it go to scrutiny to be discussed.”

In January it was revealed that Fife has some of the worst roads in the UK, with 30 potholes in every km of road, making it the fifth worst local authority in the UK and third worst in Scotland, behind Dundee and Edinburgh.