Hole lot of misery (From The Argus)
Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Misery on Sussex roads as potholes open up
1:10pm Monday 7th January 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
One of the potholes on Carden Hill, Brighton
Torrential rain and wet weather has created “havoc” on Sussex roads – with hundreds of potholes forming in a matter of weeks.
Transport bosses across the county said they have received more than 1,200 reports since Christmas of craters being created on its crumbling highways network.
With the bad weather finally passing, crews are being sent to carry out emergency repairs on the worst areas in a bid to keep Sussex moving.
Council bosses have urged residents to drive safely and report any cracks so they can prioritise clearing the backlog. Six hundred potholes have been reported to West Sussex County Council since Christmas Eve.
Pieter Montyn, the council’s transport cabinet member, said: “We are dealing with the havoc caused by some of the worst wet weather for over a century and, while we cannot get on top of this situation overnight, we ask drivers to please be patient and bear with us while we fix these problems.
“In the meantime, the onus is on road users to drive responsibly and take greater care when out on the roads.”
Experts said wet weather and freezing temperatures causes an increase in the numbers of potholes as when water freezes it expands and breaks up the tarmac.
Washed away
Transport bosses said surface water made problems with existing cracks worse because it washed away loose particles of road surface whenever vehicles pass over them.
In addition to the regular programme of repairs, ‘pothole patrol’ crews will be deployed to target areas where the problems are worst.
Roger Williams, head of highways at East Sussex County Council said: “We've had similar problems to West Sussex with more than 500 potholes reported to us since Christmas Eve.
“Following periods of severe weather, we do have extra work to deal with but we aim to prioritise and fix the main problems as soon as we can.
“We do inspect our roads but it’s always a huge help to have the eyes and ears of the people who travel those routes every day.”
A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “About 100 potholes were reported to us over the Christmas period. We respond to all pothole reports within 24 hours. If we can’t fill them immediately we make them safe with barriers or similar until we can.”
Report a pothole
WEST SUSSEX: email lovewestsussex@westsussex.gov.uk or call 01243 642105.
EAST SUSSEX visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/contactus/reportaproblem or call 0345 60 80 193.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE email highwaybasicmaintenance@brighton-hove.gov.uk or call 01273 292251.
Are the potholes driving you potty in your street? Tell us where the worst affected areas are by calling The Argus newsroom on 01273 455527.
See the latest news headlines from The Argus:
- Oliver coming home to Uckfield at last
- Lewes pool reopens
- Sussex Police to hold street meeting
- Praise for East Sussex business building scheme
- Petition over Brighton roundabout
Add us to your circles on Google+
Comments(9)
a person
says...
1:34pm Mon 7 Jan 13
They want to make money from the motorists ,not make roads safe for them.
Although maybe the cycle loving greens should realise ,pot holes are also very dangerous for any bike users.
charlie smirke
says...
1:57pm Mon 7 Jan 13
angrymonkey wrote:Only 10% !!! What do they do with the rest I wonder?
only 10% road tax now going back onto looking after the roads more going to lazy chaves that get payed not to work. and everyone from the Eu moving into do the work the chaves should be doing but are Gov cant see why people are not happy.
bluemonday
says...
2:11pm Mon 7 Jan 13
Sussex jim
says...
2:20pm Mon 7 Jan 13
angrymonkey wrote:I thought it was about a fifth of taxes collected from road users. Not just "road tax", but excise duty on fuel *, VAT on fuel and all garage charges: the new car tax, premium rate numbers to the DVLA,etc. But angry monkey may be more correct. Anyway, we are being screwed. We have not even touched on the subject of paying to park in the street
only 10% road tax now going back onto looking after the roads more going to lazy chaves that get payed not to work. and everyone from the Eu moving into do the work the chaves should be doing but are Gov cant see why people are not happy.
As for the EU, we have got to get out. We will then no longer be obliged to use the excellent labour from eastern Europe, and we can force our chavs to fill the vacancies by stopping their benefit if they do not work-properly- on the roads.
*We pay VAT on excise duty. Is that not a p*** take?
Unbias
says...
3:24pm Mon 7 Jan 13
I buy a jumper from the store and its torn they'll replace it for free...
I buy some Cornflakes and they are stale they'll replace it for free...
My taxes pay for a whole to be fixed in the road by a contractor and a week later it's back.....my question is this.....as it was obviously badly done in the First place is there another payment made to the contractor?
Hoarder12345444
says...
4:00pm Mon 7 Jan 13
RottingdeanRant
says...
4:12pm Mon 7 Jan 13
Idontbelieveit1948
says...
7:34pm Mon 7 Jan 13
angrymonkey says...
1:18pm Mon 7 Jan 13