Potholes are the scourge of motorists and cyclists

Edinburgh City Council has pledged to tackle long-standing concerns over pot-holed roads and poorly maintained pavements with its biggest spend on improvement projects in almost a decade.

It will, however, mean more roadworks over the next year as an extra £11 million is allocated to halt the deterioration of the city road network.

The Transport and Environment Committee will see its capital budget rise to £21.781 million and it will deploy a so-called “pot-hole killer machine” to undertake much of the work.

As well as resurfacing, improvements may include measures such as dropped kerbs and widening footways where required.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “We have listened to the concerns of residents regarding the state of our roads and footpaths.

“The latest injection in funding will allow us to significantly increase the number of improvement schemes to enhance the condition of our roads and pavements.

“As a living, breathing capital working within a tight budget, Edinburgh faces a challenge when it comes to maintaining the city’s infrastructure, but this investment should see the situation improve. We need to get the basics right, and this intensive programme of investment is essential for a safe, usable network.

“We are listening to the public, and will resurface whole streets rather than take a piecemeal approach.

“In addition to this, we are trialling a state-of-the-art ‘pothole killer’ machine which will help automate repairs. We won’t get footpaths and roads back to where we want them to be in one year, but this investment will help halt the decline.

“If this work is approved on Thursday, on Friday I shall start the work of making the case for more funding next year.”

Other areas for investment are street lighting and traffic signals, for which £1.120m is being proposed for upgrades, and the city’s 3,366 bridges and road structures – £0.845m has been set aside for their maintenance, in addition to the major North Bridge refurbishment project.