New pothole machine could smooth out Glasgow streets

The multi-hog tractor has been hailed by council road staff elsewhere as a saviour.

It travels at 40kph and has been praised for helping fix pot holes more speedily.

Smoother streets

Glasgow City Council, which has thousands of reports of potholes every year and faces multi-million repairs, hopes the vehicle will help keep streets smoother.

A council spokesman said: “We are taking delivery of new a vehicle that we will be testing out on road repairs over a six month period, starting late February.

He said it will mainly be used as a “planer that lifts damaged road surface before new asphalt is laid.”

Pointing out its smaller size was useful for limited spaces he added: “We will be using the vehicle to deal with areas of less than 10 metres squared and it can support our basic aim of completing high quality repairs to the road surface at the first time of asking without having to repeat any work.

“The vehicle should also be able to move quickly between jobs and so we are keen to see the machine in action to get a better idea of how effective it might be as part of our road repairs programme.”

The council want to reduce temporary repairs, which can’t withstand being battered by the weather.

Last week, council officer David Frew told the Springburn and Robroyston Area Partnership meeting: “People think we are not doing things properly. But because of the weather, the frost, heavy rain, temporary repairs seem to pick out really easily.”

The council will be using the multi hog tractor with a planer attachment.

It can be converted for use as a gritter or saline solution spreader to treat roads in winter.