Up to 10,000 potholes need urgent repairs in Kirklees

Pothole repairs are necessary after the recent snow and ice

Up to 10,000 potholes on main roads and bus routes in Kirklees urgently need mending, according to figures released by Kirklees Council.

An extra £400,000 has been spent to deal with damage to the district's roads caused by the bad winter weather.

The total number of pothole repair jobs includes over 3,500 requests for urgent work which have been made by the public since 1 December, 2010.

Kirklees Council says work to mend the current crop of potholes is under way.

Cllr David Sheard, cabinet member for environment and transport, said Kirklees Council was just one of many with the same problem.

"The long spell of freezing weather left councils all over the country facing hefty bills to repair the road network," he said.

"Kirklees is no different and there is obviously a huge programme of work that will take time to complete."

Repair teams

A programme of work to mend the potholes caused by the recent snow and ice has now been launched.

Six gangs have been sent out across Kirklees to deal with potholes which have been found by the council survey or reported by the public.

They are said to be working on a street-by-street basis to repair all potholes which have been reported, as well as any others they find.

In addition, three gangs are dealing with pothole repairs requested through the council's contact centre or following its own safety inspections.

Cllr David Sheard said: "These repairs are being dealt with as soon as is physically possible, considering the sheer scale of the problem.

"People's patience and understanding throughout the work is greatly appreciated.

"We fully understand that most local residents consider this work to be a priority and we are examining ways to put out more information as to when your road will be done."

Kirklees Council said work filling potholes across the district would not be complete until the end of March, weather permitting.