Reassurance after complaints about 30 potholes on one stretch of road

Pothole pictured on June 8 taken by a motorist who complained about
it (LCC Ref 398357). Vewed in colour it clearly shows it has been marked out for repair. — Pothole pictured on June 8 taken by a motorist who complained about it (LCC Ref 398357). Vewed in colour it clearly shows it has been marked out for repair.

Retired Lincolnshire County Council highways supervisor Mick Smith says he has been complaining about the potholes to Lincolnshire County Council for six months and has "never seen the road network in such a mess".

To ensure the highways authority's attention, he even titled one complaint "Lunar Craters".

Mick, of Burgh le Marsh, said the stretch of road in question is Bluestone Heath Road between A16 Driby Top and cross roads at top of Tetford Hill.

Photo B shows how it was on September 5 - three months. Mick says it is clearly a lot more dangerous, being in the region of 150mm deep.

"There are approx 30 edge of C/W potholes which will damage a car's tyre/rim and also one very large one that will damage the complete suspension of a car if hit," he said.

"More to the point if a motor cyclist hit it could easily be fatal it is that bad."

Photo A shows how one pothole was on June 8 this year. It was taken by a motorist who complained about

it (LCC Ref 398357) and clearly shows it has been marked out for repair.

Photo C (LCC Ref 397277) shows a pothole 150mm deep which damaged a motorists car on May 24 this year. Mich says this one was repaired on August 17 - two and a half months after it was reported and yet less than one mile away, LCC failed to repair the one in Photo A.

Photo B shows how it was on September 5 - three months on and clearly a lot more dangerous being in the region of 150mm deep. A further complaint was submitted on August 8 (LCC Ref4165391) titled ‘Lunar Craters’ because at the time there were two of this size.

Photo C (LCC Ref 397277) shows a pothole 150mm deep which damaged a motorists car on May 24 of this year. This one was repaired on August 17 - only two and a half months after it was reported and yet less than one mile away from the one in Photo A.

"How stupid is that?" said Mick. "Strikes me someone from the Highways Office is doing a very poor job of

keeping the highways safe.

"As a retired Highway Officer with 30 years experience looking after Highway defects those two potholes alone would have been in a dangerous condition at least two months prior to the photos, which would mean they have been a danger to the motorist for about six months, maybe even from December of last year - they don’t just appear overnight.

"In my years working on the highways I have never seen the road network in such a mess - dangerous potholes left for months, drainage issues not being resolved, signs knocked over and nothing done for years, the list goes on.

"They keep telling me it’s budget constraints. Whether that’s true or not, Lincolnshire County Council have a duty of care to keep the road network safe."

A Lincolnshire County Council highways spokesperson said: "We're aware of the reported potholes on Bluestone Heath Road and will be inspecting and repairing these as a priority by the end of next week.

"The council hates potholes just as much as drivers do, and we repair thousands of them on our roads every month. In fact, to date, we've filled over 34,000 throughout the county since January."