Did you know our highways teams use dragons to tackle holes in the road?
When it comes to dragons, Game of Thrones may spring to mind, but our Dragon Patcher is using a real superpower to repair roads up to five times faster.
The mobile repair unit, known as the ‘Dragon Patcher’, is a safer and faster way of filling potholes than traditional methods and can complete repairs in as little as three minutes. Its superpower comes from an innovative technique of emitting flames to dry out and heat the road surface, before cleaning the area with compressed air and sealing the defect with a stone mix and hot bitumen.
Originating from Sweden, the patcher also treats minor cracks that could otherwise develop into potholes, preventing potential defects before they can occur.
It’s epic news for motorists, as it works to transform roads across our UK highways maintenance contracts, providing taxpayers better value for money through a more innovative, efficient service. Following an unprecedented winter last year, the Dragon Patcher is a key part of heating up our approach to winter maintenance and repairs and since the first trial in 2014, our fleet has expanded to help prepare to tackle the impact of winter weather on our roads.
Find out more about our highways expertise on our maintenance pages.