NEW "pothole-proof" roads which will allegedly last 10 years are to be laid by Surrey County Council, as it seeks to fight its way out of pothole hell.
Last week the Mirror reported on the pothole plague blighting the county following three harsh winters.
In the first three months of this year Surrey County Council says it has carried out almost 24,000 pothole repairs –-twice as many as in the same period last year.
But in an attempt to find a more permanent solution, the council has begun a five-year, £100 million plan to re-lay the county's worst roads with new materials which carry a decade-long "no pothole" guarantee.
Jason Russell, the council's assistant director for highways, said: "A Herculean effort is going into fixing road damage caused by the bitterly cold winter.
"But we can't go on papering over the cracks with quick fixes to tired old roads forever."
At the moment the council says it is carrying out a pothole repair every five minutes but the new roads, which have more flexible watertight surfaces, should overcome the problem.
"We needed a more sustainable solution to the problem," Mr Russell said.
"The idea is that if we make the investment now then the number of potholes we have to deal with in the future will decrease."
About 300 miles of road will be repaired and the 10-year warranty means any potholes would be repaired by contractors Aggregate Industries and Marshalls.
Stretches of road will be closed for resurfacing which, in some cases, could mean rebuilding the roads from their foundations.
Mr Russell said: "The problem is that local roads are often developed over time so they are not up to modern standards.
"We need to go back and rebuild them."
While it's hoped the five-year plan will provide a long-term solution, in the short-term the council says it will continue with its aim of repairing serious potholes within 24 hours until the winter's damage is fixed.
Mr Russell anticipates this will be in July.
The council could not provide the list of roads which will be repaired with the 10-year guarantee when the Mirror asked.
