Wagga councillors call for trial of new UK pothole fixer JCB Pothole Pro as motion receives unanimous support

Councillor Richard Foley received unanimous support for his motion calling for a comprehensive review into the JCB Pothole Pro machine, which he believes could revolutionise Wagga's pothole epidemic by doing the work of three machines.

Over the past 18 months, Cr Foley has been promoting the all-in-one pothole fixer that he claims will see a marked increase in pothole fixing productivity, helping the council clear its extensive backlog, which at last count sat about $92 million.

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The motion recommends the council receive a report, which includes an analysis of the Pothole Pro and its suitability for the Wagga LGA road network.

The motion also asks that the report provide a comparison against the council's existing equipment, outline a process to organise a comprehensive trial of the machine as soon as possible and examine the potential for other councils to take part.

Council's director of infrastructure services Warren Faulkner said the UK machine is basically a wheeled excavator and that the only two in Australia have been purchased by a Wollongong-based company.

"The notice of motion is calling for them to come to Wagga, so we have to engage with them to see if they will do that and when," Mr Faulkner said.

He said the council currently has two skid steer loaders to conduct pothole repair work, while also contracting another company to assist them with patching the city's roads.

Despite claims the Pothole Pro can conduct the work of three machines, Mr Faulkner said it still requires multiple machines to get the job done.

He said the council will now look into a direct comparison between existing machinery the council has and the JCB Pothole Pro, taking into consideration factors including time and cost.

Seconding the motion, Cr Tim Koschel noted he recently spoke to a local resident who drives onto the wrong side of the road.

"I was only talking to a resident of Springvale Drive the other day and they were telling me they drive down the wrong side of road at the moment because ... the other side is literally littered with potholes," he said.

"I went and drove it the other day and I don't disagree with them," he said, adding it would be an "ideal" road to test the Pothole Pro on.

But while there was general support for the motion, there was some concern over placing too great a focus on a specific brand of machine to fix the city's pothole pitfalls.

"I've got quite a bit of discomfort supporting a motion that names a particular brand and piece of machinery," Cr McKinnon said.

"I feel if it didn't name that, if we [instead] look at what is the best, most recent, up to date technology that money can buy, that would do the best possible job in Wagga, I would support that [motion] 100 per cent.

But Cr McKinnon said this concern didn't mean she wouldn't support the motion.

"We need to move ahead, and if as you say this is a one-of-a-kind machine, I guess it puts it in a special category ... [and] I know this is something we need to look at and that the community is very concerned about," she said.

In response, acting general manager Scott Gray clarified the purpose of the motion was to receive a report on the machinery and that due process would be followed if the council sought to acquire machinery.

"If we are going to progress anything to do with purchasing plant equipment, we need to follow the procurement guidelines," Mr Gray said.

The motion passed unanimously with a report to be tabled in coming weeks.

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