A new machine that can fix potholes in just eight minutes will be used to improve the county's roads.

Buckinghamshire Highways are introducing a Pothole Pro machine to help speed up road repairs across the county.

According to the RAC, the machine is capable of fixing a pothole in eight minutes at a cost of £30, while traditional repairs can take hours at double the price.

The Pothole Pro would carry out repair works largely independently, cutting into the road surface, cropping the perimeter of the holes to allow watertight repair and cleaning away debris afterwards.

Highway teams would only need to lay and compact the asphalt into the prepared hole, reducing the risk of injuries caused by vibrating hand tools.

Bucks Highways, an alliance between the council and two construction and planning development companies, introduced the innovative machine as part of its new contract, which commenced on April 1.

It comes after complaints from residents across the High Wycombe and Marlow areas about the state of nearby roadways.

Several people have reported large potholes and damage to their vehicles on the map-based website Fix My Street.

On March 31, one user wrote that they had spotted three interlinked potholes on Totteridge Road. They said: “The potholes along this stretch of road are never properly addressed. This is now two-foot long with two more holes linked to it.”

Another wrote that they had spotted a "20-inch pothole in the middle of Gordon Road", adding that it was "getting bigger and harder to avoid on the bend".

Cabinet Member for Transport, Steven Broadbent, said he had joined the crew on the Pothole Pro last week and was impressed with the potential of the machine and the speed at which the crew picked up the skills needed to operate it safely.

He added: “This is just one of a number of tools that we will be using to invest in and improve our roads. Whilst the machine won’t be able to access everywhere or fix all types of defects, it has great potential as another option we can use on our road network.”

Buckinghamshire Highways has advised drivers that while potholes occur year-round, late winter and early spring tend to see an increase in reports of potholes on roads due to heavy rain and freezing temperatures. 

If you have spotted a pothole or other problem on a roadway or footpath near you, you can report it here at Fix My Street.