New Transport Minister Chris Bishop is wasting no time when it comes to addressing the country’s pothole issue, saying about 98 per cent of those on state highways are being repaired within 24 hours of identification.
“Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key priority for our Government, and boosting pothole repairs and prevention will deliver a safe and efficient state highway network that will support this growth.
“To sort out the potholes, we established a $3.9 billion Pothole Prevention Activity Class over three years, ringfenced for resealing, rehabilitation, and drainage maintenance works to ensure these funds are used entirely on preventing potholes.
“The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is now delivering a significant programme of works, including a record increase in road rehabilitation, which involves rebuilding entire sections of road rather than just resealing.”
The coalition Government’s Pothole Prevention Fund is delivering a total of 285.6 lane kilometres of rehabilitation work over the summer months.
That’s a 124 per cent increase compared to last year. This record level of rehabilitation work will help prevent potholes from forming in the first place, Bishop says.
“Funding must be paired with increased expectation and accountabilities, and that’s what we’ve introduced to drive better results.
“Faster pothole repairs are improving the safety and maintenance standards on our roads.”
In July last year, the Government introduced targets for NZTA contractors to repair 95 per cent of potholes on main state highways and 85 per cent of potholes on regional state highways within 24 hours of identification.
“Achieving these targets month after month shows the significant progress we’ve made in tackling the pothole issue,” Bishop says.
“Kiwis can now travel more safely and efficiently on our roads, with fewer disruptions and safety hazards.
“If you see a pothole on the state highway network, report it immediately by calling 0800 4 HIGHWAYS.
“Together, Kiwis are ensuring that potholes are identified and repaired as quickly as possible.”
