Home / Business and Economy / Leicestershire Snubs JCB Pothole Pro Machine
Leicestershire Snubs JCB Pothole Pro Machine
19 Jun
Summary
- Council deems JCB Pothole Pro uneconomical for local roads.
- Machine's size unsuitable for urgent defect repairs, causing disruption.
- JCB urges a longer trial, citing success in other areas.
Leicestershire County Council has decided against purchasing JCB's Pothole Pro vehicle, citing concerns over its economic viability for local road maintenance. The council's assessment, following two demonstrations, concluded the machine was too large for efficient repairs of urgent defects.
Officials noted that the Pothole Pro's size would necessitate road closures and extensive traffic management, making it inefficient for smaller, high-priority repairs. The council stated its current machinery adequately serves the road network's size and nature.
JCB, however, believes that short demonstrations are insufficient to showcase the Pothole Pro's capabilities. The manufacturer pointed to successes in areas like Stoke-on-Trent, where seven years of pothole repairs were completed in 12 months, and urged Leicestershire to conduct a proper, long-term trial.
Other councils, such as Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, have had different experiences. Nottinghamshire has praised the Pothole Pros, while Lincolnshire, after an initial rejection, is now conducting a new trial based on demonstrated efficiency benefits. Leicestershire confirmed it would discuss equipment with JCB soon.
