31242 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport

31242 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport: How many potholes repaired since 1 July 2024 were treated with prefabricated mat technology, and what assessment, if any, has been made of its effectiveness?

Hon Chris Bishop: I am advised that prefabricated mats are being used where appropriate. While exact treatment types are not recorded in the NZTA asset management system when a pothole is recorded or subsequently fixed, NZTA is monitoring prefabricated mat use manually on a network-by-network basis. For example, in Central Waikato, a total of 3529 potholes have been recorded since July 2024, with 816 prefabricated mats having been used. I am further advised the key benefit is that the mat has the same properties as the surrounding sealed road and acts as a bridge over the pothole - acting as a crack seal as well as a finished surface. This prevents water entering the road pavement around the repaired pothole.