Outrage in Coton over 'dangerous' potholes in roads
A petition's been signed to get the County County to stop 'ignoring' requests
Last updated 4th Dec 2024
People in Coton have called for their ‘dangerous’ roads to finally be repaired as fears are shared that a “bad accident is almost inevitable”.
A petition signed by 115 people criticised Cambridgeshire County Council for ‘ignoring’ requests for remedial work and not repairing potholes even after they have been marked to be fixed.
The county council has said it will review the specific concerns raised to provide a detailed update to the petitioners, and highlighted plans for extra investment in highways maintenance.
Allan Treacy, who launched the petition, claimed the county council had “failed to maintain” the roads in Coton, when he presented the petition to councillors at a highways and transport meeting this week (December 3).
The petition called on the authority to “deal with the uneven road surface resulting from severe subsidence and properly repair potholes” in the village.
Mr Treacy said potholes were causing damage to people’s vehicles and were making people afraid to use the roads due to concern about the risk of accidents.
He said: “The situation is now dangerous, one £28,000 caravan has been written off after hitting a pothole and the owner’s insurers are claiming against the council for that loss.
“A neighbour lost a wing mirror after an oncoming van swerved to avoid a pothole, resulting in an £800 repair.
“Lots of residents tell me they have suffered damaged tires and wheels and, perhaps worst of all, several cyclists are now telling me they are afraid to use these roads because of the high risk of accidents because of the potholes.
“Surely we want to encourage active travel and people being put off from using these roads because of the potholes is surely bad news for everybody.”
Mr Treacy also said he believed the county council was breaching its own rules on repairing roads.
He claimed that since March there had been several occasions where potholes in the village had been marked for repairs, but were never fixed.
He said: “The latest example was the marking of a couple dozen potholes on October 31, we are more than 21 days past that date, the potholes are still there, only worse.
“The council has also failed to respond to a letter on the subject sent to you Cllr Beckett on October 15, from the deputy chair of the parish council.
“So can the council justify its inaction? If you log potholes as due to be repaired, you mark them saying they will be done within 21 days, why are they not being repaired?
“I really hope the council will fulfil its responsibilities and start filling in these potholes and repairing the road surface generally.”
Frank Jordan, executive director for place and sustainability, said the county council will conduct a further review of the points Mr Treacy had raised and would provide him with a detailed update on the issues highlighted, alongside formally responding to the petition.
Councillor Alex Beckett, chair of the highways and transport committee, said he was “distressed” by what Mr Treacy had told councillors.
He said the county council would “very much look at the potholes and how they can be fixed”.
Cllr Beckett said: “Obviously though from my perspective, potholes are a symptom and what we actually need to be doing, particularly in South Cambridgeshire, is getting ahead of the potholes and making sure we are going back to that stitch in time maintenance of actually resurfacing roads and that is where we need to get to.
“I know historically we have seen quite large levels of underinvestment in South Cambridgeshire compared to some other parts of the county under previous administrations, we are now doubling our investment in highways maintenance and I hope you will start to see the effect of that.
“We will look at what we can do for your area and where it sits in the prioritisation criteria.”