A COUNCIL says it intends to toughen up its inspections of work carried out on roads and pathways.

North Yorkshire County Council’s street works team says it will improve its surveys of roads and pathways to ensure once roads are reinstated by utility companies and private individuals they meet minimum standards of materials and construction.

As part of the new system, core samples will be taken from a random selection of reinstated roads across the county, enabling inspection teams to glean information about the materials and construction that a visual inspection alone could not provide.

The council expects to analyse about 2,500 sites a year with this method.

If work is found to fall below the required standard, the company involved will have to do remedial work to bring it up to standard.

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.”