Montserrat’s pothole patching programme has been temporarily paused as a replacement part for the island’s asphalt production equipment is currently on order.
Infrastructure minister Veronica Dorsette-Hector gave the update in response to a query from opposition leader Paul Lewis in a meeting of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly on 21 January.
“Recently, during one of our routine asphalt production sessions, a sprocket on the shaft of the pump responsible for circulating the bitumen transfer oil broke,” the minister said.
“That oil is required to heat the bitumen as it passes through.
“While this has temporarily halted asphalt production, a replacement part has been ordered and repairs will be carried out promptly to restore functionality.”
Not uncommon
The asphalt production plant, located below the Public Works Department workshop, was bought in 2023 under the UK’s Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth.
Dorsett-Hector explained that the type of issue that was recently experienced is not uncommon during the early stages of operating a complex plant.
“It is a part of the breaking-in process, as we get to know the plant systems and address teething issues that arise during its initial period of use,” she said.
“A similar situation occurred with the previous plant, which was older, where early operational challenges were identified and resolved, leading to smoother operations in the long term.
“In the meantime, patching work has been carried out in key areas to address critical defects, particularly on heavily travelled routes.”
A temporary measure
The infrastructure minister told assembly members that patching potholes on Montserrat’s roads is a temporary and costly solution.
“Operating the asphalt plant for small amounts of material requires significant fuel and resources, making it an unsustainable long term solution,” she said.
“Many of Montserrat’s roads were constructed in the late 1900s. They are now under increased pressure due to higher traffic volumes and the impacts of climate change.
“These factors, combined with limited past investment in road infrastructure, have left many roads in deteriorated conditions, with potholes being a visible symptom of these deeper issues.”
She said that to address these challenges, the government has adopted a long term strategy aimed at preserving and renewing the road network.
A road planer
Dorsett-Hector said the government recently acquired a road planer, which is in transit, to systematically remove damaged road layers and replace them with improved materials.
“While this approach will be implemented incrementally, it represents a more cost effective and sustainable solution that will deliver better quality roads for motorists and reduced vehicle wear and tear,” she said.
“The scale of work required to bring Montserrat’s roads to a five star standard, however, is significant. Additional road crews and funding will be necessary to achieve this ambitious goal.”
She said these resources are essential, not only to accelerate progress, but also to ensure the health and safety of staff engaged in this intensive work.
“The ministry remains committed to addressing the immediate needs of the road network through patching where necessary, and while steadily advancing a sustainable long term strategy to improve Montserrat’s infrastructure.”
