A man is ‘fed up’ of the potholes and condition of a road in Clitheroe and has called for the council to make changes.
Reece Robinson says the condition of Whalley Road, particularly between Aldi and the A59, in the town is "shocking".
As well as potholes, he says road markings are faded and there are cracks in the surface, making the the stretch hazardous for all road users.
He says he has been in contact with Lancashire County Council since 2020, asking for updates about the road condition.
The council has said it inspects Whalley Road on a monthly basis and recently carried out repairs on May 16.
Reece, who has lived in the area for nearly 10 years and claims to use the road every day, said repairs are inconsistent and sometimes not built to last.
He said: “This year, with the bad winter we’ve had, I have noticed even more potholes and cracks on the road.
“I don’t understand how the road has been left to get so neglected.”
Reece says road users concentrate on avoiding potholes and damage instead of potential hazards around them.
He said: “You aren’t concentrating on other cars as much, you are having to swerve the damage and holes.
“We pay a lot of money in council tax and I think more needs to be invested into our roads. This is the worst the roads have ever been.”
Reece said he has sent several emails to the council, complaining about the roads, since 2020.
He said: “I have regularly been emailing them about the council about the road.
“I was told Whalley Road was a priority road that is checked regularly but these potholes remained untouched for sometimes weeks and months.
“It’s busy, it is dangerous and is full of pedestrians and cars. Considering the level of traffic on the road, something needs to be done.
“Enough is enough. I shouldn’t have to complain to make change.
“I see that this is happening everywhere and I don’t understand how these repairs keep getting put on the back burner.”
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council's highways department said it investigates the ‘deeper potholes’ (40mm deep and 150mm in diameter) first, adding temporary repairs are often used during adverse weather conditions or when repairs would require complex traffic management.
A spokesperson added it checks Whalley Road on a monthly basis.
A council spokesperson said: "Lancashire County Council is responsible for maintaining around 4,600 miles of roads in Lancashire.
“To help ensure we maintain these at the most appropriate time, using the most cost-effective solution, we carry out regular highway safety inspections which help us identify any defects which meet our minimum investigatory level for repair, and which, for roads, means any defect of at least 40mm deep and 150mm in diameter.
"We use a variety of innovative approaches to ensure we repair highway defects quickly, cost effectively and with minimal waste, and regardless of the approach used, we will always look to apply a bonding coat to our repairs to provide a watertight seal.
"Occasionally, it may be necessary for safety reasons for a temporary repair due to adverse weather conditions, or because a permanent repair would require complex traffic management, but we always return as soon as possible to complete a permanent, long-lasting repair.
"We inspect Whalley Road in Clitheroe on a monthly basis and our last inspection was on May 4 this year, when we identified three new defects which we then repaired on May 16.
"We plan to continue routine safety inspections on Whalley Road and would also remind members of the public that they can report potholes via the Love Clean Streets app, our website or the customer service centre with an accurate location and if possible, a picture, so we can assess the problem and provide a rapid response."
Motoring experts at Bill Plant Driving School submitted Freedom of Information requests to all local authorities in England and Wales, asking for the total number of potholes reported in 2022, as well as the number of potholes repaired by the council.
Lancashire came third in the list, with 67,493 potholes reported, equivalent to 15.32 potholes per mile.
Earlier this year, a TikTok video showing the shocking number of potholes on Burnham Gate, in Burnley went ‘viral’.
In the video, which has received 1.3 million views at the time of writing, one can see the road and roundabout near the Angel Inn pub covered in potholes.
Share