This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/8470177.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Freeze makes hole in roads budget | Freeze makes hole in roads budget |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Councils across Wales say they face a bill of millions of pounds to repair pot holes caused by the winter freeze. | Councils across Wales say they face a bill of millions of pounds to repair pot holes caused by the winter freeze. |
| As snow returned to eastern parts of mid and north Wales, local authorities say more pot holes are being reported. | As snow returned to eastern parts of mid and north Wales, local authorities say more pot holes are being reported. |
| Motorists are being warned to take care while travelling and report pot hole problems to the local council. | Motorists are being warned to take care while travelling and report pot hole problems to the local council. |
| The Welsh Local Government Association said there had been "significant damage", and local authorities were assessing the scale and cost of it. | The Welsh Local Government Association said there had been "significant damage", and local authorities were assessing the scale and cost of it. |
| A spokesman said: "The repair bill for roads maintained by local authorities is expected to be significant and could run into millions of pounds. | |
| The recent cold weather has caused some roads to deteriorate much quicker than they would under normal conditions Carl Humphreys, Swansea council | The recent cold weather has caused some roads to deteriorate much quicker than they would under normal conditions Carl Humphreys, Swansea council |
| "This additional cost, added to the huge financial pressures that councils are already under, presents Wales with some real challenges. | "This additional cost, added to the huge financial pressures that councils are already under, presents Wales with some real challenges. |
| "The WLGA is currently working closely with local authorities to address how weather-related issues, for example climate change, should be increasingly factored into highways asset management planning in the future." | "The WLGA is currently working closely with local authorities to address how weather-related issues, for example climate change, should be increasingly factored into highways asset management planning in the future." |
| Pot holes are formed by water penetrating the surface of a road through cracks caused by traffic. | Pot holes are formed by water penetrating the surface of a road through cracks caused by traffic. |
| When temperatures plunge, the water freezes, expands and causes the surface to rupture. When the ice melts, it leaves a void below the surface, which eventually collapses. | When temperatures plunge, the water freezes, expands and causes the surface to rupture. When the ice melts, it leaves a void below the surface, which eventually collapses. |
| In April 2009, the the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) said the safety of drivers on Welsh roads was being put at risk due to a lack of funding for maintenance. | In April 2009, the the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) said the safety of drivers on Welsh roads was being put at risk due to a lack of funding for maintenance. |
| It said it would take more than 15 years to repair all 94,000 pot holes it had identified. | It said it would take more than 15 years to repair all 94,000 pot holes it had identified. |
| Since the beginning of 2010, Swansea council said it had seen a surge in reports of pot holes following the recent cold snap. | |
| Cold snap | Cold snap |
| Carl Humphreys, head of highways, said: "Generally, road surfaces have a life expectancy of approximately 25 years. | Carl Humphreys, head of highways, said: "Generally, road surfaces have a life expectancy of approximately 25 years. |
| "The recent cold weather has caused some roads to deteriorate much quicker than they would under normal conditions. | "The recent cold weather has caused some roads to deteriorate much quicker than they would under normal conditions. |
| "The problem is something that councils across the UK are experiencing. | "The problem is something that councils across the UK are experiencing. |
| "It's too early to say at this stage what the extent of the damage caused by the current cold snap is but we do have a system in place where inspectors regularly monitor roads to pick up on defects such as pot holes. | "It's too early to say at this stage what the extent of the damage caused by the current cold snap is but we do have a system in place where inspectors regularly monitor roads to pick up on defects such as pot holes. |
| "We then plan the works according to priorities." | "We then plan the works according to priorities." |
| The WLGA said local authorities across Wales had detailed Highways Asset Management Plans (HAMPs) in place which were essentially plans for maintaining, servicing and improving all of the roads within their areas. | The WLGA said local authorities across Wales had detailed Highways Asset Management Plans (HAMPs) in place which were essentially plans for maintaining, servicing and improving all of the roads within their areas. |
| "As well as recording details of when assets were last serviced or maintained, HAMPs will also keep a record of any repairs that are needed and will include detail of any plans for carrying out future service maintenance or repair work," said the spokesperson. | "As well as recording details of when assets were last serviced or maintained, HAMPs will also keep a record of any repairs that are needed and will include detail of any plans for carrying out future service maintenance or repair work," said the spokesperson. |
| The WLGA admitted the recent bad weather had caused "significant damage" to roads across Wales that would not have been factored into the plans. | The WLGA admitted the recent bad weather had caused "significant damage" to roads across Wales that would not have been factored into the plans. |
| Local authorities are now in the process of assessing the scale of the damage and the cost of the repair work. | Local authorities are now in the process of assessing the scale of the damage and the cost of the repair work. |