Harrow Council is continuing its borough-wide road improvement programme, investing £42 million over three years to improve road and pavement conditions across Harrow.
This week, Harrow Online visited College Hill and Elm Road in Harrow Weald to see the latest pothole repair work taking place. JB Riney contractors were on site carrying out repairs using the new JCB Pothole Pro – currently the only one in London.
The machine is part of a wider preventative maintenance programme and is five times more efficient than previous repair methods using large lorries. Council representatives advised that this is now a permanent reinstatement method aimed at improving long-term road conditions.
A spokesperson for Harrow Council said, “This is part of a planned maintenance approach for Harrow which would assist in stopping the deterioration of the network and to provide suitable and safe roads for Harrow residents.”
“As anticipated, there will be a small level of disruption however they will give advance notice” they added.
Cllr David Ashton, Portfolio Holder for Finance & Highways, said, “We recognise that one of the crucial things that residents expect in Harrow is decent roads and decent pavements. They haven’t had them in the past because of underinvestment, across both Labour and Conservative councils. But now, we’re putting aside £42 million over 3 years, purely for road and pavement investment using traditional road surfacing, the pothole pro machine, which is much more flexible, and a thermal machine to ensure that residents see the benefit, and see the benefit soon.”
The initiative is about “restoring pride” in the borough, Cllr Ashton added.
According to Harrow Council, since April 2024, 47 roads and 21 pavements have been fully resurfaced, and more than 5,000 potholes have been fixed. The council has also introduced a rapid-response “pothole squad” and is using thermal machines alongside the Pothole Pro to speed up repairs.
Further improvements planned this year include clearer road markings, updated street signs, and the introduction of virtual parking permits for Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), which aim to simplify parking and reduce paper use.
The investment forms part of Harrow Council’s wider corporate plan, with roads and footways being a top priority moving forward.
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