Transport Secretary and Forest of Dean MP Mark Harper has visited highways engineers in Gloucestershire to find out about a new programme of road improvement works.

The county council's £100m resurfacing programme has been boosted by extra funding from central government. This has allowed an expansion of annual resurfacing plans and fast track repairs to be carried out across the county.

More than 170 roads are set to be resurfaced in Gloucestershire this year, supported by new methods of repairs that make up the 'summer of resurfacing'.

The spray injection patching machine is just one of several innovative methods being trialled this summer. Mr Harper viewed the machine during his visit.

The appliance revolutionises fixing rural roads and since 12 June has repaired 3,000 square metres across rural areas of Gloucestershire. It has made more than 1,000 pothole repairs during just 28 shifts, which is more than double the average speed of a conventional pothole repair team.

The machine began its journey in the north of the county in the lanes of Sandhurst. It has since travelled through the south of the county in Nailsworth and the surrounding area and most recently through to the Cotswolds in Batsford before it is scheduled to operate in the Forest of Dean towards the end of the season.

Cllr Dom Morris, cabinet member responsible for highways and flooding at Gloucestershire County Council, said: "Keeping Gloucestershire moving is a top priority. The winter weather had an impact but we have boosted investment to deliver faster and more efficient repairs.

"With new machinery and new methods we have fixed more than 15,000 potholes since April. We are racing to resurface as many roads as possible and our engineers are working around the clock to strengthen the roads. It's been a great pleasure to show this to Mark first hand."

Mr Harper said: "It was a pleasure to visit the resurfacing teams at Cannop Depot in the Forest of Dean. The reason for my visit is because lots of my constituents talk to me about the quality of roads across the Forest and the work we're doing to tackle potholes.

"We know this is an issue, and that is why the county council has put in £100m for resurfacing and why they are being backed by central Government with additional funding. Hopefully my constituents will see an improvement in road quality throughout the summer and into the winter."