Minister puts pothole app to the test

Transport minister Robert Goodwill, in Oldham to view a smartphone app to tackle dangerous potholes

Roads minister Robert Goodwill chose Oldham to find out more about a new smartphone potholes app developed by national bike charity the Cycling Touring Club.

Using Google maps to pinpoint potholes, cyclists act for local councils like Oldham - sending details to the CTC, which sends information to the relevant council.

The charity’s Chris Peak was also in Oldham to thank the Government for a £30,000 handout to revamp its website.

The app is currently only available for Apple’s iPhone, but Mr Goodwill is keen to see it more widely available - potholes can damage vehicles but can result in serious or fatal injuries to cyclists.

Over the last four years, Oldham Council has spent £10 million repairing highways, and over the last year paid out around £2.5 million in compensation due to poor conditions on the borough’s 817 km of roads.

Oldham’s roads are regularly inspected, but Mr Nicholson predicted it would cost more than £60 million to bring them all up to top standard.

The minister said Oldham had a “well organised and effective programme” for road improvement, but admitted: “Historically, we have underfunded road maintenance.”

The Government has pledged £3.4 billion to tackle the problem between 2011 and 2015.

Mr Nicholson said Oldham’s new plans for more appropriate road maintenance will cut the total cost of maintenance over the next 10 years by up to 75 per cent.