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| Pothole warning after UK freeze | Pothole warning after UK freeze |
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| Local authorities, employers and homeowners are counting the cost of Britain's "big freeze" in the form of repairs to potholes and frozen pipes. | Local authorities, employers and homeowners are counting the cost of Britain's "big freeze" in the form of repairs to potholes and frozen pipes. |
| The cycle of freezing and thawing water will widen cracks in road surfaces, creating potholes, warns the Institution of Civil Engineers. | The cycle of freezing and thawing water will widen cracks in road surfaces, creating potholes, warns the Institution of Civil Engineers. |
| Northamptonshire County Council wants £5m to fix weather-damaged roads. | Northamptonshire County Council wants £5m to fix weather-damaged roads. |
| Meanwhile, plumbers and utilities firms have taken thousands of calls about leaks from frozen pipes. | Meanwhile, plumbers and utilities firms have taken thousands of calls about leaks from frozen pipes. |
| Throughout the cold snap, much of the public's attention has been focused on a shortage of salt for gritting treacherous roads. | Throughout the cold snap, much of the public's attention has been focused on a shortage of salt for gritting treacherous roads. |
How potholes are formedBACK{current} of {total}NEXT | |
| But Institution of Civil Engineers vice-president Geoff French said the thaw could bring little respite, with drivers having to cope with increasing numbers of potholes. | But Institution of Civil Engineers vice-president Geoff French said the thaw could bring little respite, with drivers having to cope with increasing numbers of potholes. |
| The continuous cycle of freezing and thawing - particularly on roads where long-term maintenance had been neglected - could break up road surfaces, he said. | The continuous cycle of freezing and thawing - particularly on roads where long-term maintenance had been neglected - could break up road surfaces, he said. |
| "Water gets into cracks in the road surface, it then freezes and expands the crack. Then more water gets in, it freezes because of the weather cycle we're in and it steadily gets worse," he said. | "Water gets into cracks in the road surface, it then freezes and expands the crack. Then more water gets in, it freezes because of the weather cycle we're in and it steadily gets worse," he said. |
| Buckinghamshire council is deploying six extra road repair teams a day - on top of its usual nine - at a cost of £18,000 per week for at least three weeks. | Buckinghamshire council is deploying six extra road repair teams a day - on top of its usual nine - at a cost of £18,000 per week for at least three weeks. |
| It will have been a costly time for homes and businesses - with unexpected costs, often at emergency call-out rates Clive Dickin, Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors | |
| In Leicestershire, road managers expect this year's bill to be up on the usual £300,000. | In Leicestershire, road managers expect this year's bill to be up on the usual £300,000. |
| In April, the Asphalt Industry Alliance said in a report there was a pothole for every 120 yards of road in England and Wales and that it would take 13 years to clear the backlog of repairs. | In April, the Asphalt Industry Alliance said in a report there was a pothole for every 120 yards of road in England and Wales and that it would take 13 years to clear the backlog of repairs. |
| The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, calculates its members spent more than £60m filling in around 970,000 potholes last year. | The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, calculates its members spent more than £60m filling in around 970,000 potholes last year. |
| Its transport board chairman David Sparks said: "The latest cold weather means they are working flat out to fill in the ones created during the last month of freezing weather." | Its transport board chairman David Sparks said: "The latest cold weather means they are working flat out to fill in the ones created during the last month of freezing weather." |
| 'Patched up' | 'Patched up' |
| Paul Butcher, whose firm Instarmac supplied one million kits containing pothole-filling material to road repair teams last year, said he expected sales to double or even triple. | Paul Butcher, whose firm Instarmac supplied one million kits containing pothole-filling material to road repair teams last year, said he expected sales to double or even triple. |
| After last February's two-week cold snap, there was a 40% increase in road damage, according to the AA. | After last February's two-week cold snap, there was a 40% increase in road damage, according to the AA. |
| It pushed the number of potholes up to 1.5m - and the number of insurance claims it received almost trebled from 700 the February before to 2,000 as a result, it said. | It pushed the number of potholes up to 1.5m - and the number of insurance claims it received almost trebled from 700 the February before to 2,000 as a result, it said. |
| AA head of roads policy Paul Watters said it would be "much worse" because of cold weather which had been more widespread this winter. | AA head of roads policy Paul Watters said it would be "much worse" because of cold weather which had been more widespread this winter. |
| He said councils were too focused on "patching up" road surfaces, rather than rebuilding highways to correct structural faults. | He said councils were too focused on "patching up" road surfaces, rather than rebuilding highways to correct structural faults. |
| Freezing conditions forced water companies to carry out emergency repairs | Freezing conditions forced water companies to carry out emergency repairs |
| "As a result, in cold spells, whole lengths of road can sag, expand, break up or start to undulate," Mr Watters added. | "As a result, in cold spells, whole lengths of road can sag, expand, break up or start to undulate," Mr Watters added. |
| Many roads may have to be dug up as water firms get to grips with leaks in the wake of the Arctic conditions. | Many roads may have to be dug up as water firms get to grips with leaks in the wake of the Arctic conditions. |
| Water supplier United Utilities is taking more than 7,200 calls per day from its customers in north-west England - 10 times more than the winter average. | Water supplier United Utilities is taking more than 7,200 calls per day from its customers in north-west England - 10 times more than the winter average. |
| The main complaint has been frozen pipes leading to homes, although the firm also wants customers to report low water pressure - often an indication of a leak caused by a mains pipe joint cracking as ice thaws. | The main complaint has been frozen pipes leading to homes, although the firm also wants customers to report low water pressure - often an indication of a leak caused by a mains pipe joint cracking as ice thaws. |
| About 15,000 of its customers in south Warrington are receiving water from boreholes as engineers try to plug underground leaks. | About 15,000 of its customers in south Warrington are receiving water from boreholes as engineers try to plug underground leaks. |
| Yorkshire Water has been handling about 150 calls a day - four times the norm - and Southern Water reported 73 leaks across Hampshire, Sussex and Kent in the first week of the new year. | Yorkshire Water has been handling about 150 calls a day - four times the norm - and Southern Water reported 73 leaks across Hampshire, Sussex and Kent in the first week of the new year. |
| Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors chief executive Clive Dickin said its members have been busy. | Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors chief executive Clive Dickin said its members have been busy. |
| "It will have been a costly time for homes and businesses... with unexpected costs, often at emergency call-out rates," he said. | "It will have been a costly time for homes and businesses... with unexpected costs, often at emergency call-out rates," he said. |
| "Most of the work, however, should be covered by insurance." | "Most of the work, however, should be covered by insurance." |