Substandard work to North Yorkshire's roads faces new inspection process

Inspections after work is carried out on roads and foot-ways across North Yorkshire have begun to include a new method to screen against potential problems invisible to the naked eye.
North Yorkshire County Council' street works teamhas previously carried out visual inspectionsNorth Yorkshire County Council' street works teamhas previously carried out visual inspections
North Yorkshire County Council' street works teamhas previously carried out visual inspections

North Yorkshire County Council' street works team has previously carried out visual inspections after the roughly 20,000 utility and licensed works that occur each year in the county, however this month it began to inspect core samples taken from roads and streets.

A random section of the the reinstated area is drilled into, revealing information including what materials were used and how the work was carried out. Any stretch judged to be substandard following utilities or licensed private project would result in the company reasonable being made to re-do the work.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Highways, said: “This bolstering of our current practice of visual inspection is another way in which we can ensure that our road network, which extends to more than 5,500 miles, is repaired and maintained to the correct standard for the benefit of all road users.

“Up to now, about one in ten reinstatements has failed the visual inspection. In the short-term, we expect our more rigorous inspection regime may lead to more defects being found, but we are confident that in the longer term it will drive up standards, improve competence and protect the longevity of our roads.

“Often, potholes and other damaged areas on our highways are caused by inadequate reinstatement after excavation. The new coring regime will address this.”

North Yorkshire will undertake this work in-house and it is expected that the council’s team will core about 2,500 sites a year