Councils filling potholes 'every 19 seconds'
Discussion
robinessex said:
CoolHands said:
Getting worse still round here, and not had Jan / Feb frosts yet.
It’s appalling that they aren’t doing road checks themselves, so unless I report them then there’s no chance, and since you’re driving can’t always remeber exact locations. Just done a batch in fixmystreet. Then you see actually many of the areas already had the same / nearby ones reported months ago.
Lazy f
ks aren’t doing their job, I just don’t understand why the council would not write in performance checks to the fking contracts.
Might stop the flow of brown envelpoesIt’s appalling that they aren’t doing road checks themselves, so unless I report them then there’s no chance, and since you’re driving can’t always remeber exact locations. Just done a batch in fixmystreet. Then you see actually many of the areas already had the same / nearby ones reported months ago.
Lazy f
ks aren’t doing their job, I just don’t understand why the council would not write in performance checks to the fking contracts.
mikey_b said:
That’s the second time just on this page that you’ve publicly suggested your council awards contracts via bribery. Do you have actual evidence?
Not to mention the times he's written it elsewhere. And his justification for it doesn't add up. Come on Rob, let's have some evidence. Your CV on all matters road related would also be interesting to read. 
Pothole reports hit a five-year high in 2023
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-679...
Potholes caused misery in 2023 on a scale not seen in years, but scientists hope technology like self-healing roads will help rid us of them for good.
Reports of potholes and damage they caused hit five-year highs, according to local governments and the AA.
The AA estimates they may have cost UK drivers as much as £500m in repairs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-679...
Potholes caused misery in 2023 on a scale not seen in years, but scientists hope technology like self-healing roads will help rid us of them for good.
Reports of potholes and damage they caused hit five-year highs, according to local governments and the AA.
The AA estimates they may have cost UK drivers as much as £500m in repairs.
It appears that central govt is contrbuting half of what it did 20 years ago to road repairs.
Which is great for them because everyone blames the Local Authorities.
So, as Americans say, ‘there’s your problem right there’.
However, I think councils are not being particularly creative about making best use of what money they have
Which is great for them because everyone blames the Local Authorities.
So, as Americans say, ‘there’s your problem right there’.
However, I think councils are not being particularly creative about making best use of what money they have
swisstoni said:
It appears that central govt is contrbuting half of what it did 20 years ago to road repairs.
Which is great for them because everyone blames the Local Authorities.
So, as Americans say, ‘there’s your problem right there’.
However, I think councils are not being particularly creative about making best use of what money they have
It's not a lack of creativity it's a basic lack of money. Many councils simply don't have the money any more and one in five anticipate bankruptcy in the next two years:Which is great for them because everyone blames the Local Authorities.
So, as Americans say, ‘there’s your problem right there’.
However, I think councils are not being particularly creative about making best use of what money they have
https://www.ft.com/content/82a841b1-fec7-4ed9-bfae...
Simple fact is that funding from central government has been dramatically reduced in the last 10 years whilst the demand for services has been steadily increasing. The deterioration of the roads is just another symptom of lack of proper funding.
CoolHands said:
Lucky they don’t waste it eh? 
They undoubtedly waste some of it. One of the biggest wastes of money is the number of subcontractors who win work and then sub it out again to subbies who then sub it out again. Lots of people make money but the actual amount spent on the roads is far less than it costs.Contracting out rather than having in house services is a shocking waste of money.
'Potholes are leaving Essex roads in a shocking state'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-642660...
"The problem of potholes in Essex has been highlighted by a group which helps to transport blood between blood banks and hospitals.............continues"
More than 7,000 claims for pothole and road defects
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm505l37r9mo
The number of claims against Essex County Council for vehicle damage caused by potholes and road defects has increased in each of the last four years. A total 7,036 claims were made between April 2019 and early January 2024, council figures showed. But only 4% were successful with 283 people receiving a payout. A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “All compensation claims are investigated fully and damages are paid if the council has been liable." Essex Highways said most claims were "successfully defended" as it was "rigorous" in its maintenance of the road network..............continues
Someone is cloud cuckoo land claiming our local roads are subjected to rigorous maintenance.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-642660...
"The problem of potholes in Essex has been highlighted by a group which helps to transport blood between blood banks and hospitals.............continues"
More than 7,000 claims for pothole and road defects
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm505l37r9mo
The number of claims against Essex County Council for vehicle damage caused by potholes and road defects has increased in each of the last four years. A total 7,036 claims were made between April 2019 and early January 2024, council figures showed. But only 4% were successful with 283 people receiving a payout. A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “All compensation claims are investigated fully and damages are paid if the council has been liable." Essex Highways said most claims were "successfully defended" as it was "rigorous" in its maintenance of the road network..............continues
Someone is cloud cuckoo land claiming our local roads are subjected to rigorous maintenance.
swisstoni said:
It appears that central govt is contrbuting half of what it did 20 years ago to road repairs.
Which is great for them because everyone blames the Local Authorities.
So, as Americans say, ‘there’s your problem right there’.
However, I think councils are not being particularly creative about making best use of what money they have
They have little to no ability to be creative as they have a stack of statutory duties that soak up all the money, leaving nothing to be creative with even if they were inclined.Which is great for them because everyone blames the Local Authorities.
So, as Americans say, ‘there’s your problem right there’.
However, I think councils are not being particularly creative about making best use of what money they have
hidetheelephants said:
They have little to no ability to be creative as they have a stack of statutory duties that soak up all the money, leaving nothing to be creative with even if they were inclined.
Well they certainly don't scrimp on paying themselves or their favoured pet projects...DodgyGeezer said:
hidetheelephants said:
They have little to no ability to be creative as they have a stack of statutory duties that soak up all the money, leaving nothing to be creative with even if they were inclined.
Well they certainly don't scrimp on paying themselves or their favoured pet projects...Would you end up with better or worse services if pay in general were to be cut? Would it be the better or the worse performing staff who would leave? What would be the impact on services, if the better ones left and only the jobsworth morons unemployable elsewhere remained?
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