Sandwell Council is among those leading the way in maintaining roads and tackling potholes, according to the latest National Highways & Transport (NHT) Public Satisfaction Survey.
The borough also features in the top 10 nationally for key highway maintenance measures. It is fourth nationally for repair standards; seventh for the number of potholes fixed; and eighth nationally for the condition of road markings.
In the West Midlands, the council ranks best for five separate highway maintenance measures, demonstrating consistent performance across the borough.
In a separate survey supported by M·E·L Research resident satisfaction with road maintenance in Sandwell is more than double the national local government benchmark.
To further improve efficiency, Sandwell has invested in innovative machinery, including the Multihog machine which allows the council to prepare road surfaces quickly for repairs when potholes do appear, reducing the need for temporary fixes.
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Sandwell’s highways boss Councillor Keith Allcock said: “We are proud that Sandwell is recognised nationally for the outstanding condition of our roads.
“This achievement reflects years of consistent investment, smart planning, and a commitment to doing things the right way. Not only are we one of the top performers in the country for overall road condition, but we’re also leading the way in the speed, quality and reliability of our pothole repairs.
“What makes this even more impressive is that we deliver all of this while remaining highly efficient and keeping the cost per mile exceptionally low.
“Through the use of innovative technology, data-led maintenance and forward-thinking repair methods, we’re able to make every pound go further.”
Potholes often form when water seeps into small cracks in the road surface and expands when frozen, eventually causing the surface to break up. The council tackles this by sealing the cracks early, applying protective surface covering and using a proactive maintenance programme to extend the lifespan of roads.
The NHT Public Satisfaction Survey collects public perspectives on, and satisfaction with, Highway and Transport Services in council areas. It is a unique, standardised, collaboration between Highway Authorities enabling comparison, knowledge sharing, and the potential to improve efficiencies by the sharing of good practice.
