Members of the public in Devon are poised to begin training in the art of minor highways maintenance. The County Council is enlisting volunteers nominated by local communities to carry out small pothole repairs and fill surface defects.

It hopes that so called ‘road wardens’ will take charge of minor repairs in some residential streets or on unclassified roads, as well as help to clean road signs and clear vegetation. Devon already calls upon teams of ‘snow wardens’ to help out with winter maintenance.

A council spokesman said Devon has the largest highway network of any local authority in the country and added that road wardens will be dealing with minor work which the County Council has currently been unable to do.

Introduction of road wardens comes as Devon launches a public consultation about proposed savings to the county’s highways and traffic management service budget. The county has seen its highways revenue budget reduce by £18.5M since 2010 and says it needs to find a further £3.4M of savings in the next financial year.

Highways Term Maintenance Association executive director Geoff Allister said: “We acknowledge the budgetary pressures that local authorities face so can understand the drivers behind introducing road wardens. But there are other ways to maintain roads cost effectively and we are happy to talk with local councils keen to make savings.

“It is also very important to ensure that the works carried out by wardens are consistent with national standards so that repairs are effective and long lasting and to remember that working on roads carries significant health and safety risks.”

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