Potholes are getting bigger because of shortcuts taken when repairing roads, according to a dedicated potholes website (Telegraph).
The problem has been caused by the use of a cheaper form of asphalt to carry out road repairs over the last 10 to 15 years, with potholes typically increasing in size from three to four inches, according to the Potholes.co.uk website.
Potholes.co.uk describes itself as “an independent website designed to help you, the motorist, assist your regional council, improve the state of your local roads and claim compensation if your vehicle has been damaged by potholes”. The website is backed by the warranty specialist, Warranty Direct.
Duncan McClure, from Warranty Direct, said: “The pothole epidemic is the direct result of years of underinvestment in our roads by the Government. Temporary fixes have just escalated the problem over the years and our highways have now got more holes than Swiss cheese.”
In November 2012, the Local Government Association, which is responsible for 180,000 miles of local roads, warned that England and Wales is on the cusp of a pothole crisis as a result of spending curbs which have seen the highways maintenance budget cut by nearly half a billion pounds since the Coalition came to power.
Defending the Government’s record, Norman Baker, transport minister, said: “We are providing councils with more than £3 billion between 2011 and 2015 to maintain their roads and pavements and last month announced an extra £215 million to help councils get the best out of their road network.
“This is on top of the additional £200 million we gave to councils in March 2011 to repair local roads damaged by the severe winter weather in 2010.”
Click here to read the full Telegraph report.
Poor workmanship and supervision is the fault. The hole is not cleaned, thus there is a lot of loose debris left in the hole, then no glueing agent is used and the hole just filled with tarmac mix which doesn’t bind with the loose grit. So being unstable it deteriorates again and again.
bob craven Lancs
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As a motorcyclist myself I am forever informing local authorities of wherever I find a pothole. It wasn’t so long ago (3 yrs) that LAs were told that a pothole had to be 15cm deep and not 10 cm deep (6″ from 4″). That’s good advice from the DfT.
A motorcyclist’s front suspension is nothing like as robust as that of a car perhaps being some 50 times lighter and understandably more sensitive to suffer damage. I know I have.
Another unknown thing is that the debris that comes out of the pothole and stretches far wider than the pothole itself is just as great a danger to a motorcyclist as the pothole itself. But will the LA come and sweep it up? No they won’t, they see it as just general deterioration. But just as deadly to a twv.rider.
bob craven Lancs
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The issue of potholes and lack of suitably maintaining looks like it could be a major issue. We have had reports this week of two individuals each having 2 tyres burst due to potholes.
As a rider of a cruising motorcycle, I am extremely concerned about the current state of our roads due to the rapid development of potholes.
It will not be long before fatalities will be directly attributed to the development of potholes and the failure of councils to respond to them.
Keith Doyle
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If, as with the Private Finance Initiative and Doctors’ terms and conditions, private organisations get twice the money for half the work, that is surely a reflection of the incompetence of the public officials and/or politicians who agree the contracts.
Idris Francis Fight Back With Facts Petersfield
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Unfortunately we are now in a situation with no council employees capable of or employed to repair roads and therefore it goes to the private sector which generally means that we get half the work done for twice the cost.
That’s progress. Privatisation every time. I doubt that the monies presently allocated to the problem will be anywhere near sufficient.
bob craven Lancs
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