A HIGH-TECH pothole repairing machine which can restore a road in just eight minutes is set to be trialled in Cheshire West.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has been looking into ways to tackle issue of potholes as many residents have vented their frustrations at the state of the borough's roads.

And shortly a JCB Pothole Pro will be seen repairing a limited number of roads across the borough.

Cllr Gillian Edwards, whose Weaver and Cuddington ward will be visited by the machine, is hopeful the trial will be successful.

Posting on Facebook, said: "The JCB Pothole Pro will be on trial in the borough as a result of an amendment to last year's CWAC budget by the independent councillors.

"It will only be on a trial basis, but this will give us a chance to test better ways of patching our pitted roads.

"Unfortunately we are time limited with the trial, so we can’t tackle every road at the moment but many within the village will be addressed.

Northwich Guardian: CWAC are trialling the Pothole Pro (JCB)CWAC are trialling the Pothole Pro (JCB) (Image: JCB)

"Fingers crossed the Pothole Pro is a great success and we can address more potholes more efficiently.

"This is really exciting news as It's you we answer to, and we fully share your frustrations and want to help improve our community as much as you do."

The Pothole Pro combines three machines in one and can repair a pothole in less than eight minutes, which according to JCB, is four times quicker than standard methods and half the cost of current solutions.

A JCB spokesman said: "The machine allows the contractor or local authority to cut the defect, crop the edges and clean the hole with one machine – mechanising jobs traditionally done by pothole gangs and delivering up to a 50 per cent cut in daily costs.

"It is equipped with a 600mm wide planer and integrated dust suppression system, enabling the operator to plane a full carriageway from the kerb, without repositioning.

"The machine also comes with a sweeper/bucket and hydraulic cropping tool, allowing a uniform hole to be prepared by the operator from the comfort their cab."

Northwich Guardian: Stoke City Council have caught up with a 7-year pothole repair backlog in 12 months (JCB)Stoke City Council have caught up with a 7-year pothole repair backlog in 12 months (JCB) (Image: JCB)

The company also revealed nearby Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been using a Pothole Pro since summer 2021 and within 12 months had cleared a seven-year backlog of pothole repairs.

JCB chairman, Lord Bamford, who led machine’s development personally, said: "JCB’s solution is simple and cost effective and fixes potholes permanently, first time.

"We simply cannot allow our road networks to continue to be blighted by potholes."

The news comes ahead of National Pothole Day on Sunday, January 15.