Vale Council's Big Fill pothole campaign continues into 2013 (From Barry And District News)

Vale Council's Big Fill pothole campaign continues into 2013

12:10pm Tuesday 8th January 2013 in News

THE Vale council has thanked residents for reporting potholes to the BIG Fill, as the first phase of the campaign ended at Christmas.

The council's highways team and contractor Birkett LGA Ltd, who pledged to fill potholes in every ward in the Vale, have already visited Dyfan, Illtyd, Cadoc, Court, Castleland and Buttrills, using 200 tonnes of tarmac and covering an area of approximately 2000 square meters.

The BIG Fill will be back to finish the job in 2013 - with Phase 2 starting in the Baruc ward on January 12 and 13.

Cabinet member for the environment and visible services Cllr Rob Curtis said: “The BIG Fill launched this September in response to residents’ requests of wanting to see further improvement to Vale roads.

“Residents have already told us that they are starting to see a difference. After such a great response to Phase 1 of the campaign, our teams are looking forward to filling more potholes on the Vale’s roads in the New Year. And we’re calling on all residents to support our campaign in 2013.”

With cold weather on the way this winter, the BIG Fill team are ready for their next challenge.

Routine maintenance manager Ken Evans said: “People don’t always realise how potholes are formed - age and frost both have an adverse effect on our roads.

“As water seeps down, it freezes, expands and gradually breaks the surface, causing parts of the road to loosen. Vehicles driving over it will then cause a pothole to form.

“There have been instances where we have repaired a road and, days later, the cold weather causes a new pothole nearby. People sometimes don’t think we have responded to a hole they have reported, whereas conditions have caused a new hole to form.

“But our crews will continue to work very hard to keep the Vale’s roads pothole-free.”

The second phase of The BIG Fill campaign runs from January to April 2013, seeing crews focusing on:

* Baruc (January 12-13),

* Gibbonsdown (January 26-27),

* Llantwit Major (February 9-10),

* Llandough (February 23-24),

* Cornerswell Penarth (March 9-10),

* St Augustines Penarth (March 23-24),

* Stanwell Penarth (April 6-7),

* Plymouth ward Penarth (April 20-21).