Work to repair potholes in Torfaen is due to intensify over the coming weeks with the council anticipating widespread damage caused by snow and ice.
Torfaen Council highway inspectors have been out assessing the damage caused by the worst freezing weather for 30 years.
And on roads not covered by snow and ice some repair work has already been carried out.
The repeated freeze-thaw cycle of the prolonged cold spell is being blamed for making the problem worse this time of year.
Councillor John Cunningham, Executive Member for Operational Services, said officers had already been working hard to repair potholes but that it would take some time to carry out works.
“It’s difficult to predict how much road damage there will be caused by the recent weather but we can expect a significant increase in pot holes,” he said.
“We will do everything we can to repair them but there is a public expectation that we should be able to fix problems quickly, but, because of limited resources, this is not always possible unless it is a safety issue.”
The Council says snow and ice are the worst conditions for causing road damage as small cracks can very rapidly become potholes.
Potholes are formed by water penetrating the road surface through cracks caused by traffic. When temperatures plunge, the water freezes, expands and causes the surface to rupture.
When the ice melts, it leaves a void below the surface, which caves in under the stress of vehicles and eventually forms a pothole.
Like all authorities, Torfaen Council has a road maintenance backlog which will be made worse by the freezing conditions.
Councillor Cunningham said: “Over the last 12 months we have spent £1 million on our roads which shows we are committed to improving their condition. In an ideal world we would love to spend more but there is simply not enough money in our budget to do this.”
