A PIONEERING road repair system, which could pave the way for an environmentally-friendly approach to potholes, is being trialled across South Cheshire.

Unlike conventional pothole repairs, Crewe firm Asphalt Re-lay’s system recycles the existing carriageway surface material using an infra-red heater.

This means that little new material needs to be added to the highway and no waste material is taken to landfill.

The process can repair a pothole defect in around 15 minutes, allowing the road to re-open to traffic much sooner than with conventional methods.

The whole operation can be controlled from a single van so traffic management and noise pollution can be kept to a minimum.

Crewe councillor David Brickhill said: “I am extremely impressed with the service that this locally-based company can provide.

"The pothole defect was repaired within 15 minutes with no digging or jack hammering, minimal noise and traffic disruption, zero waste and a seamless repair.

“Potholes are one of the main issues facing our highways team and our partners BAM Nuttall and this system could make a world of difference to our day-to-day maintenance of Cheshire East’s road network.

“The council is committed to improving our road network, whilst reducing our carbon footprint and if this new process proves successful it will make a huge contribution to us achieving both.”