THE North-East was yesterday named the country’s worst region for potholes by the AA.

Reports from an army of AA streetwatchers said the North- East and Scotland had the most potholes.

The 1,000 watchers, tasked with checking the conditions of roads and paths, found a national average of 14.9 potholes per neighbourhood, compared with 12.5 a year ago.

The average at present for the North-East is 19, while the Scotland average is 20.1.

The average number of repaired potholes per neighbourhood for the North-East was 16.4.

AA president Edmund King said: “The UK has a pothole plague which has not gone away, despite extra repairs this year.

“Highways authorities need to get to grips with the pothole problem, as compensation claims will soar when cold weather strikes and roads start breaking up again, placing greater burdens on already strained budgets.”

Councillor Peter Box, chairman of the Local Government Association’s economy and transport board, said councils filled a record 2.2 million potholes last year.

He said: “Three severe winters in a row have devastated many of the nation’s roads and it is a constant battle to keep on top of potholes. The extra cost of last year’s winter alone was about £400m.

“Parts of the country which have milder winters have less destruction wreaked on their roads by ice. Ranking geographical areas without taking this major factor into account displays a fundamental lack of understanding about road maintenance.”

􀁧 THE North-East’s biggest council is to drop huge sacks of salt in residential areas in an effort to keep traffic moving through the winter.

A year to the day since last winter’s heavy snowfall began, Durham County Council yesterday announced a pilot scheme covering parts of Teesdale, Weardale, Consett and Stanley.

Council chiefs hope residents will help spread salt from the one-tonne sacks to keep their communities mobile.

The move has been successful elsewhere in the country and has been agreed after a review of winter maintenance operations.

The locations will be chosen based on difficulties experienced in the past few years.

Councillor Bob Young, the council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “We recognise the very particular challenges we experience in the face of severe winter weather in County Durham, having so many scattered rural communities.

“Protecting our budget for winter maintenance was the highest priority expressed by residents during our consultations on the spending reductions.

“As such, we are willing to try new approaches and to work with residents to support as many communities as we can to keep moving this winter.”

The impact of the pilot scheme will be monitored and could be introduced countywide next year.

The council has stocked 6,000 more tonnes of salt ahead of winter than last year.