£2m bill to repair 10,000 potholes on roads

COUNCIL chiefs are expected to have to fork out £2 million in the coming weeks filling in 10,000 potholes blighting the city's roads in the wake of the big freeze.

The number of potholes this winter constitutes nearly three times the amount of work when the season is mild.

They are formed because ice forms between cracks in the road before expanding and contracting as it freezes and thaws, loosening surfaces.

Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, the Capital's transport leader, said: "We've had squads out making emergency repairs since last week and we'll be taking extra steps to carry out permanent repairs in the new year.

"Faced with similar problems after the severe weather last year, we put in an additional 2m to maintain the improvement our roads have seen since 2007, and I envisage we'll be doing the same again this year."