HIGHWAYS chiefs insist they are braced for a predicted icy winter – despite claims that many councils still haven’t filled in last year’s potholes.

The RAC has surveyed 11 councils and discovered most had not finished repairing the road defects caused by last winter’s cold snap.

Others were still waiting for the supplies of grit they ordered to prepare for a harsh winter.

Poole council admitted the condition of its roads will be under pressure as a result of weather and budget cuts.

John Sayers, principal engineer at the Borough of Poole, said: “We have dealt with all potholes that present a significant safety hazard and will continue to maintain our network in a cost effective way.

“However, a mixture of severe winters and substantial budget reductions will inevitably have an impact on the general condition of the highway. Safety will always remain a priority and all such issues addressed as they arise. While we are still awaiting delivery of a salt order, we have sufficient stocks available until this arrives.”

A statement from Dorset County Council said the authority had filled in 16,795 potholes since January.

“We check each road at least every six months for any defects so we are confident that we have filled in every hole that was a result of the winter weather,” the statement added.

“We have ordered enough grit to fill up each of our storage containers and it has all arrived. There are extra quantities on order to ensure we are fully prepared for any extreme weather conditions.”

Bournemouth council launched its Road Rescue scheme earlier this year, putting £2.9 million into improving the borough’s roads.

Larry Austin, the council’s strategic operations manager for street services, said: “In Bournemouth we are fully equipped and ready for the winter ahead.”

He added: “The spell of cold weather last year undoubtedly had an adverse affect on the road conditions and through Road Rescue we have taken the ‘worst-first’ approach in repairing those areas in greatest disrepair.

“From using infra-red technology in the town centre, to velocity patching in urban areas such as Throop to tackle potholes, our Road Rescue teams have been making much progress, with over 2,000 potholes having been repaired so far.”