THURROCk Council says hundreds of road defects, including potholes and cracks, will be repaired on roads across the borough in the coming weeks thanks to "fast, cost effective and eco-friendly jet patching technology."

The authority has renewed its partnership with road repair firm Velocity, saying the firm's "innovative jet patching technology quickly and conveniently repairs potholes and cracks in a fraction of the time it takes to carry out a traditional repair."

The system works by blasting a mixture of stones and bitumen into potholes.

The council adds: "Jet patching is also far kinder to the environment, reducing carbon emissions by 95% when compared with a standard repair."

Cllr Victoria Holloway, Cabinet Member for Place and the Environment, had an opportunity to see the team in action in West Horndon this week. She said: "This scheme creates a faster, greener and more cost effective way to repair defects in our roads.

"The technology means that potholes are generally filled and repaired in under three minutes, there is no need to close roads for that repair to be carried out so we can keep traffic moving and is far friendlier to the environment, with carbon emissions reduced by 95%.

"Over the next few weeks we expect they will repair hundreds of defects, making our roads better and safer for drivers. The last time they came to Thurrock a year ago they fixed well over 1,500 road defects.

"In the short time I was with them I saw them repair more than half-a-dozen defects, and they were only just getting started for the day!"

Potholes and highways defects can be reported online through the Highways Report It tool.