This is how many safety repairs have been made on roads in West Sussex during the first two months of lockdown

With the roads being quieter whilst people across the country were confined to their homes, it was seen as an ideal opportunity for maintenance workers to repair the pothole-ridden roads causing despair for drivers.

West Sussex County Council said, as of last week, its highways team have completed 7,079 safety repairs countywide — mainly related to potholes — since the UK Government imposed lockdown restrictions on March 23.

A county council spokesperson said: “Our highway and Balfour Beatty teams have been ensuring roads are maintained for key workers, emergency services and essential journeys during COVID-19.

"During lockdown our highways team have completed 7,079 safety repairs countywide.

"The majority of these have been potholes repairs and these have been identified as part of our routine walked and driven inspections, as well as customer enquiries that have been received."

Social distancing measures were implemented to 'ensure that the people working are as safe as possible'.

"This includes, all operatives travelling to the sites in separate vehicles, observing social distancing on site and, where at all possible, minimising contact within two metres," the spokesperson added.

“Where certain activities require closer working between operatives, the time limit is reduced to the absolute minimum and operatives are expected to wear a mask and gloves.

"These measures and the teams’ hard work and dedication have ensured our highways are kept safe for all to use.”

West Sussex Highways said it is expected to deal with a 'variety of highway-related safety issues' such as, potholes, loose, sunken or raised covers, faded road markings, fallen trees, overgrowing vegetation and flooding.

It was stressed that many of the 7,079 repairs would have related to a 'number of different safety types' but a 'large proportion will relate to potholes'.

The spokesperson added: "It was also wettest February on record, with frequent changes in the weather causing more potholes on our roads."

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