Suffolk Highways has launched its winter campaign to deal with potholes - with different equipment and methods for urban and rural roads.

Teams with the latest technology have already started visiting and treating locations at risk of deterioration or where there are smaller defects that could grow as the colder and wetter weather strikes.

After using Roadmender Elastomac and Dragon Patcher machines, teams will be sent across Suffolk to use this equipment alongside the normal service that deals with larger defects as they happen.

Paul West (L) joined Suffolk Highways engineers working with a Dragon Patcher.Paul West (left) joined Suffolk Highways engineers working with a Dragon Patcher. (Image: Suffolk Highways)

Cabinet member for highways Paul West said: “Cold and wet weather often wreaks havoc with our roads.

"That is why we have taken proactive steps and developed a targeted campaign to tackle and provide resilience to our road network ahead of this winter.

“This week we launched an additional programme of repairs in areas which pose a higher risk of potholes forming during the winter months.

"The aim of the programme is to treat areas of Suffolk’s roads earlier with the goal of reducing the number of more substantial defects that may cause safety concerns to road users throughout the winter.

“These plans have been carefully worked up over recent months to ensure we can get ahead of pothole repairs between now and December before the drop in temperatures, mostly in January, February and March, where the largest number of potholes form.”

Highways workers using the Roadmender Elastomac system will target urban roads that are at higher risk of damage to locate cracks and smaller potholes and carry out repairs.

Unlike traditional methods, which require potholes to be saw-cut, excavated and asphalt to be compacted on top, Elastomac is a flowable material used to seal the repaired area.

The process is more sustainable and efficient, reducing waste by 90%, lowering costs and minimising disruption.

With the Dragon Patcher machines, these clean the surface of the road using compressed air, preparing it for repair with an application of aggregate and hot bitumen material, and will target rural roads.