Hold-up on Blackpool prom was not down to ‘huge pothole’, says council

Wednesday, 18 June 2025 07:25

By Richard Hunt

Blackpool Council has clarified that a huge ‘pothole’ which held up traffic on the promenade Monday was in fact emergency work by a utilities firm.

The roadworks, close to Central Pier, led southbound drivers to need a detour off the prom and down Chapel Street, as temporary lights went up.

It prompted concerns that potholes were becoming an issue on key roads in Blackpool, just weeks after the council reported it was now able to fix them quicker than ever.

One commuter trying to get to South Shore said: “On Monday you couldn’t get through, you had to turn off at Chapel Street and go down Central Drive.

“People were saying there was a huge pothole in the middle of the road.”

But Blackpool Council said it was all down to emergency work that needed to be carried out by a utilities firm and that by Tuesday morning it had been fixed.

Last month, the council said that, as part of its ongoing commitment to maintain the highways, it had teamed up with contractor Thermal Road Repairs to carry out essential road improvement works to the mini roundabout on West Park Drive.

Using the latest technology, Thermal Road Repairs have a unique system that uses heat to restore the condition of the road by reusing materials from the existing road.

Using their patented ‘pulse heat’ system, which can affect layers up to 100mm thick, the area is heated up until the existing road surface is ready to be reworked into a smooth section.

Coun Paula Burdess, Blackpool Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Street Scene and Neighbourhoods, said at the time: “We’re working with innovative contractors to produce longer-lasting results and extend the life span of Blackpool’s roads, as part of the council’s commitment to continuously improve the quality and durability of the roads in the town.

“We’re dedicated to investing in Blackpool’s roads to create smoother journeys for residents, businesses and visitors.”