Councils deepen pothole problem

New guidelines being used by local authorities are redefining the size of potholes that they will fill and repair to more than 4cm deep.

This has lead to calls that the councils are adding to the disrepair of UK roads and potentially storing up trouble for the future with increased compensation claims.

Motoring and cyclists groups such as the AA and the CTC, the national cyclist network, have warned councils that this action will lead to more accidents and an increase in claims that will further erode council budgets.

However councils seem intent on reclassifying actionable potholes in line with new Government guidelines in an effort to save money, such as Essex council that from April will go from repairing 2cm holes to 5cm or more

The news comes ahead of a report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance that will show that there is a £1billion shortfall in council road maintenance budgets. The majority of the blame will be put on utility companies with over 2million trenches dug in UK roads a year.

With the Government planning to bring in powers for councils to fine utility companies for failure to have correct documentation in place and overrunning specific time scales it should allow councils to manage the works on any given road in their jurisdiction.

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April 02^nd 2008

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