A DRIVE to make Surrey’s roads more pothole-proof is on course to save taxpayers nearly £14 million – enough to overhaul almost 30 miles for free.

The first three years of the project to reconstruct hundreds of miles of roads, which started in 2013, saved nearly £11.4million by striking better deals and improved recycling of materials.

By the end of this financial year another £2.5million of savings will be made, taking the total to almost £13.9million.

The lion’s share of the first year’s efficiencies went towards fixing roads damaged in the 2014 floods while the rest of the savings will be enough to cover 28 miles of Operation Horizon’s first phase for free.

Around 250 miles of roads – the distance from Guildford to Hull by car – have been improved through the scheme, which sees surfaces covered by a 10-year repairs warranty.

Phase two of Horizon is set to launch in April 2018 after the final list of roads to be improved by 2021, including those selected by local committees, is drawn up.

County council cabinet member for highways John Furey said: “Surrey has some of the busiest roads in the country and Operation Horizon is another example of just how hard we work to improve them for residents and businesses despite rising demand for services making money really tight.

“Not only have we overhauled 250 miles of roads, but over the five years of the first phase, almost 30 miles will be resurfaced for free.”