West Lothian roads: Councillors to get regular updates on area's potholes
Roads team promises year start and end reports on numbers and costs of repair programme
Councillors in West Lothian are to get twice yearly updates on pothole and road repairs.
Roads and transportation officers will provide detailed updates on numbers of potholes reported, and the cost of repairs.
The move follows a joint motion presented to the full council earlier this year.
Gordon Brown, the council’s roads and transportation manager, told a meeting of the Executive that the reports will be made to the Environment and Sustainability Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel.
In a report to the councillors he added: “Reports will be taken to the second PDSP of the financial year and the last meeting of the PDSP in the calendar year. This reporting will commence on the scheduled meeting held on the 3 November 2026 and the second arranged meeting of the financial year 2027/28 and so on.”
The detail contained within future reports will provide information on:-
- List of road closures used;
- Number of potholes reported;
- Number of potholes permanently and temporarily repaired;
- The cost implications; and
- The maintenance backlog for potholes.
A composite motion agreed on March 17 called on the council to “communicate effectively with our communities to the effect that undertaking this work will require road diversions and potential closures from time to time”.
It added: “Residents across West Lothian are increasingly frustrated about the state of our roads network in West Lothian.
“It is noted that increased investment was agreed at Budget on 24th February – £1m per annum over the next two years.
“The commitment shown is welcomed and we look forward to seeing how that investment is used – leasing/hiring appropriate equipment, recruiting additional staff etc to undertake works to permanently repair potholes and remedy road defects.”
Linlithgow councillor, Lib Dem Sally Pattle welcomed the report and thanked roads officers. She said: “I just want to say thank you very much to Gordon and the team. They are doing a really great job. Whenever we have been reporting potholes they have been fixed very quickly.”