Ruined roads will get no repair
Potholes and road damage caused by the extreme winter weather could be left un-repaired for months, a highways chief has admitted.
Heavy snow and rainfall during January and February left some of the county's roads in dire condition, posing a hazard to motorists and pedest- rians.
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Gloucestershire County Council committed £500,000 to spend on repairs with Coun Stan Waddington, cabinet member for environment, calling for patience whilst work was undertaken.
But it now looks as if residential roads may be left to deteriorate further after a Gloucestershire Highways boss admitted prioritising the worst hit areas meant less-used roads will be left out.
Prestbury is one of the areas where roads have been particularly badly hit, and residents have been calling for improve- ments to be made.
Stephen Burden, Gloucestershire Highways area manager for Cheltenham, was at a parish council meeting on Monday, and left residents in disbelief when he said some of the village's roads were not busy enough to be given high priority.
He told the meeting: "Due to the freezing cold weather during the winter, the condition of some of the road surfaces has worsened. But with the resources and funding available we have to concentrate on repairing the more well-used roads first.
"Unfortunately this may mean we have to leave the quieter residential roads for the time being."
Gloucestershire County Council said it prioritised repairs on routes which were deemed 'dangerous', as well as main roads and those near the town centre.
But residential roads such as Fir Tree Close in Prestbury, which has suffered notable deterioration and has potholes more than two inches deep, are not on the list.
Mr Burden admitted: "At this time I cannot say when Fir Tree Close will be repaired. Although it may have deteriorated lately, if it is deemed to be safe then we have to prioritise other, busier areas."
Coun David Prince, county councillor for Oakley, Pittville and Prestbury, said: "While I have the greatest respect for Mr Burden, I'm not happy with the answers he's given.
"The holes in Fir Tree Close are well over 40mm which is supposed to be the acceptable limit, and it is going to get worse. I understand the need to prioritise main roads, but I think this is unacceptable.
"Just how bad does a road have to get before anything will be done about it?
"Some money needs to be pumped into improving the county's road network and it needs to happen soon."
Parish Council chairman Malcolm Stennett added: "We realise we cannot pin Gloucestershire Highways down for every little detail, but we want to know when the condition of our roads will improve."
The county council said Gloucestershire Highways has repaired about 1,300 potholes a week since the cold snap, and that the county's roads are improving as a result.
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by Adrian Thompson, Cheltenham
Tuesday, May 19 2009, 4:33AM
“Driving home along Hyde Lane last night I hit a pot hole which broke my front wheel! I reported it and it was repaired within 3 hours. Sadly my car will take longer and probably a lot more money to deal with.”
by lobster, under the sea
Friday, April 10 2009, 7:10AM
“I let the council know about a pothole that had developed in our road and it was mended within 24 hours. great service”
by Neil, Cheltenham
Friday, April 10 2009, 7:09AM
“As a country our politicians spend billions of pounds on invading, killing and militarily occupying Third World countries, in a vain attempt to prop up puppet governments, while at the same time preaching to them about civilised values. If we spent a fraction on the country's infrastructure as we do on meddling in other nation's affairs our roads and infrastructure generally would be as neat and tidy, as well kept, and as well maintained as those in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, and other European countries.”
by Bystander, Winchcombe
Friday, April 10 2009, 5:25AM
“This problem is not a recent occurrance, it is the result of years of sub-standard maintenance which has left road surfaces in a vunerable condition which has permitted water penetration and the frost has expanded causing tarmac to loose it'bond.
Regarding claiming for damage to vehicles, there are some authorities where the outlay on claims exceeds the amount spent on pot hole repair”
by Jay, Stroud
Friday, April 10 2009, 12:00AM
“Lets face it, we don't pay anything like enough to keep the roads in a good state and we haven't been for years. Then we buy bigger and fatter vehicles that cause more damage to the roads and we moan.
If we want the roads repaired quicker, we'll just have to pay more.”
by Steve, Pittville
Thursday, April 09 2009, 9:59PM
“Come on everyone. At the end of the day there is so much money to go so far. We all complain about council tax and yet then complain there isn't enough spent on things we all need. get real. Spend or shut up.”
by Linda, Cheltenham
Thursday, April 09 2009, 7:51PM
“The money spent on narrowing the road between the kiddy playground and the tennis courts in Pittville Park - so that who ???? can cross over when the gates there are chained shut and there is an underpass anyway - would have been better spent on repairing potholes. Always at this time of year we see Highways money being wasted - I guess they have budget to use up and they can't think of anything sensible!”
by CarMan, Quedgeley
Thursday, April 09 2009, 7:10PM
“Perhaps we should start to claim for damage caused by the pot holes on our cars.They might start to take some action on repairing the roads instead of claiming vast expences.”
by Anon, Cheltenham
Thursday, April 09 2009, 7:04PM
“Prestbury isn't the only part of Cheltenham with potholes. Whilst it is admirable for Mr Burden to attend the Parish Council surely it should be a politician in charge of the roads who attends these meetings to explain where all the money is being spent. They keep saying they have improved the roads in Gloucestershire but this can't mean Cheltenham.”
by DAM, Cheltenham
Thursday, April 09 2009, 6:44PM
“I'm sure the residents of Gloucestershire pay alot more than £0.5m in car tax and fuel duty each year. So where is all of the money going? It obviously isn't going to the right causes.
Although I dont think Glos Highways are particularly at fault as they have clearly been underfunded and they money looks to be subsidising the other wasteful gov't projects.”