Potholes.

Once central government cease cutting its funding (another round of cuts after the latest budget) and begin to fund LAs properly then things will hopefully get back to normal - ie - pre-2010

The ones round here are terrible - I know so many people who have had not just tyres damaged, but damage to their cars as well. There's one road in particular which I just would not drive on in the dark because it is literally a slalom course trying to avoid the huge potholes and it is a country road, so no street lighting.

This is something on which we agree Urmstongran. The roads have reached the point where accidents are inevitable. There are now even speed restrictions in place on dual carriageways and motorways in some areas purely because the road surface is so bad that it’s not safe to travel at the speed limit. I’m very glad I’m not a cyclist or motorcyclist.

I agree the roads are shocking but with more Electric cars on the roads weighing over 2 tons this is doubling the stress on the road surfaces.
Small stress fractures for wear and tear are now become much bigger holes, councils are probably at their wits end trying to assess these issues. I end up at times driving like I'm skiing!

Roads diabolical round here. We slalom around.

Casdon 😊

It must be extra difficult for cyclists and motorcyclists as cars swerve to avoid potholes (understandably) at the last moment.

Heavy continental container lorries too on our roads. Whatever happened to freight trains as transportation? I notice so many on our motorways now.

Urmstongran

Heavy continental container lorries too on our roads. Whatever happened to freight trains as transportation? I notice so many on our motorways now.

Beeching. Another ridiculous and shortsighted Tory idea.

Urmstongran

Heavy continental container lorries too on our roads. Whatever happened to freight trains as transportation? I notice so many on our motorways now.

Heavy freight has been using the roads for decades now, people have been bemoaning the decline of rail freight transport since at least the 1970s. There has been no noticeable deterioration in our roads until quite recently.

I'm afraid that the current decline is all down to the 'small state' ideology of the tories since at least 2010... Cutting government spending and cutting allocations to local government has had its inevitable result.

I'm afraid that it is highly ironic that you should be complaining about its results when you are a flag waver for 'small state'. We're getting what you wanted.

We are currently with our daughter in Cheshire East, the potholes are dreadful.
Just how the roads looked when we went to East Germany in the early nineties.

Wouldn’t it be good if the bills for car repairs could be sent to those responsible for the road upkeep? They should be ! Road traffic authority or local councils here.

nanna8

Wouldn’t it be good if the bills for car repairs could be sent to those responsible for the road upkeep? They should be ! Road traffic authority or local councils here.

You can submit the bills. It is important to report the potholes, those that are responsible for fixing them cannot if they dont know where they are.

Theexwife

nanna8

Wouldn’t it be good if the bills for car repairs could be sent to those responsible for the road upkeep? They should be ! Road traffic authority or local councils here.

You can submit the bills. It is important to report the potholes, those that are responsible for fixing them cannot if they dont know where they are.

Those who are responsible for fixing them don't have the money to do it. This is because of government state non spending policy. Why can't people make the connection?

They do, though. It’s obvious.

MaizieD

Theexwife

nanna8

Wouldn’t it be good if the bills for car repairs could be sent to those responsible for the road upkeep? They should be ! Road traffic authority or local councils here.

You can submit the bills. It is important to report the potholes, those that are responsible for fixing them cannot if they dont know where they are.

Those who are responsible for fixing them don't have the money to do it. This is because of government state non spending policy. Why can't people make the connection?

I think many of can make the connection easily MaizieD, and still be heartily sick of potholes! If the next government were to prioritise this one issue and get it sorted out there would be a rise in the national mood I think, as well as a reduction in accidents.

We live in Northamptonshire and our roads seem to be the worst in the country!!!!! Yesterday I felt seasick driving around these blooming potholes and I think it is a disgrace that they dare to put the council tax up!!! Angry!!!!!

Whitewavemark2

Urmstongran

Heavy continental container lorries too on our roads. Whatever happened to freight trains as transportation? I notice so many on our motorways now.

Beeching. Another ridiculous and shortsighted Tory idea.

To be fair, Dr Beeching gets the flack but it was the decision of Ernest Marple, Minister for Transport who, coincidentally had interests in firms building motorways.
The railways were losing money at the time.

Perhaps neither envisaged the volume of traffic on the roads 60 years later.

The number and size of potholes, even on motorways now, has become really dangerous.

When potholes are filled, councils choose the cheapest option and often the asphalt is poor quality and doesn't last anyway.

Pay cheap, pay twice.

My husband hit a deep pot hole on a motorway slip road in heavy rain ( invisible in the wet) and hit the underside of the car. It’s still there and getting bigger.
I read somewhere that although equivalent EV models of cars are heavier than their petrol equivalents, ( batteries weigh mote than modern engines) many EVs are smaller model cars replacing mid size conventional family cars so the average weight of EV cars on the UK roads is similar to conventional fuel cars. If this really is the case perhaps weight of EV cars alone cannot be the only cause of the recent increase in potholes.

It's cheap asphalt and surfaces, rain followed by freezing conditions which causes expansion and breakdown, and the general volume of traffic.
As well as lack of maintenance.

30 years ago DH said that there was no planned maintenance carried out in the country any more and it hasn't improved.

It’s worsened considerably in the last decade.
www.statista.com/statistics/298667/united-kingdom-uk-public-sector-expenditure-national-roads/
The amount spent on roads UK wide hasn’t risen in line with inflation. The cumulative inflation rate is about 50% higher than in 2010, so we should be spending 1.5 times as much now just to stand still.

Callistemon21

When potholes are filled, councils choose the cheapest option and often the asphalt is poor quality and doesn't last anyway.

Pay cheap, pay twice.

When you're on a tight budget you sometimes have to choose between the cheap option or nothing at all.

We all know that the initially expensive option will save money over time, but the spending of 'public' money often doesn't allow for an initial 'big spend' that will lead to long term savings.

According to visitors this part of Wales has less potholes than England

Casdon

MaizieD

Theexwife

nanna8

Wouldn’t it be good if the bills for car repairs could be sent to those responsible for the road upkeep? They should be ! Road traffic authority or local councils here.

You can submit the bills. It is important to report the potholes, those that are responsible for fixing them cannot if they dont know where they are.

Those who are responsible for fixing them don't have the money to do it. This is because of government state non spending policy. Why can't people make the connection?

I think many of can make the connection easily MaizieD, and still be heartily sick of potholes! If the next government were to prioritise this one issue and get it sorted out there would be a rise in the national mood I think, as well as a reduction in accidents.

The posters who back 'small state' parties don't seem to be able to make the connection, Casdon.