Under-fire council leaders have said they are looking at new technologies to tackle the pothole problem afflicting Norfolk's roads.
A recent report identified the county council as being among the slowest in the country at fixing potholes, amid concerns the cavities are making roads dangerous for motorists and cyclists.
And, at a recent meeting of the Conservative-controlled cabinet, the council was asked whether it would consider buying new machinery to speed up repairs.
Member of the public Anthony Cain went to County Hall to ask whether the authority had considered buying or leasing a JCB Profile Pro machine.
He said: "I ask this question as the number of potholes increases by the day on Norfolk roads and potholes that are repaired are done to a very low standard."
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Graham Plant, the council's cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said: "We are aware of the JCB Pothole Pro system and we do maintain a careful eye on emerging technology. We have not engaged with JCB to explore this further at this stage.
"We are looking at various technologies in respect of highways repairs and pothole repairs, such as spray injection patching."
Mr Plant confirmed the council is trialling a new thermal method to surface patch roads, which could, potentially, also be used to repair potholes.
But he added: "I think it's fair to say that, in Norfolk, we have a lot fewer potholes than our neighbours and we do have a system in place which fixes the potholes."
He said surface patching - spraying a layer of bitumen over roads - prevented potholes forming in the first place.
Mr Plant's Conservative colleague Bill Borrett recently said the government should give Norfolk more money to maintain roads because large agricultural vehicles were harming rural routes.
One pothole, on Church Street in Reepham, took 482 days to repair - the third-longest delay recorded in a national survey.
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