Poorly maintained roads - how do they get away with it?
Discussion
Something I've observed over the past 8-10 months. Some parts of the UK the roads are very well maintained, in others it's like living in a 3rd world country. How do some local authorities get away with not maintaining the roads?
For example:
-End of summer last year I went to Yorkshire. And traveled many miles across the Dales and the North York Moors. All of the roads where superbly maintained (apart from Bradford). Lots and lots of new tarmac, no pot holes and generally a high standard of road condition.
-A few months back I "toured" part of Central Wales. I traveled on lots of "white roads" through central Wales and even through the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains. Again the roads where superb, lots and lots of newly laid tarmac and pot hole free. The same appeared true in parts of Herefordshire too as we crossed the county.
But nearer to home and around the local area the roads are diabolical (Beds/Bucks/Ox). This includes major A roads right down to unclassified C grade roads. They are truly truly shocking, wheel buckling and suspension breaking bad. I honestly couldn't even drive to a newly laid section of road locally as I don't think any exist.
-How do the councils/highways agency get away with it?
For example:
-End of summer last year I went to Yorkshire. And traveled many miles across the Dales and the North York Moors. All of the roads where superbly maintained (apart from Bradford). Lots and lots of new tarmac, no pot holes and generally a high standard of road condition.
-A few months back I "toured" part of Central Wales. I traveled on lots of "white roads" through central Wales and even through the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains. Again the roads where superb, lots and lots of newly laid tarmac and pot hole free. The same appeared true in parts of Herefordshire too as we crossed the county.
But nearer to home and around the local area the roads are diabolical (Beds/Bucks/Ox). This includes major A roads right down to unclassified C grade roads. They are truly truly shocking, wheel buckling and suspension breaking bad. I honestly couldn't even drive to a newly laid section of road locally as I don't think any exist.
-How do the councils/highways agency get away with it?
Why do they spend millions on new signs, pavements and traffic calming ( big humps in road) and yet the actual road surface is left to pot (potholes). Adhock patching that only lasts a few weeks. Yorkshire and Cheshire roads are getting to the point of not fit for purpose 
How you lads on bikes manage, I don't know . Eighty percent of your concentration must be the immediate road in front of you.
How you lads on bikes manage, I don't know . Eighty percent of your concentration must be the immediate road in front of you.
Crusoe said:
Did you phone up and complain - if not then they don't know about the issue (and can get out of any claims for damage). Most of the time up here if I have notified them it gets fixed within the week, always patches though rather than new surface.
It's not just the odd bad bit. It's entire roads from start to finish.For example, right in the middle of nowhere. New tarmac, not a pot hole in sight. I drove hundreds of miles on surfaces like this, both up north and in Wales.
Whereas this is pretty typical of a lot of roads around my way. And they are in this sort of condition mile after mile.
Even in towns it's bad. This picture doesn't really do it justice. But in a sporty car on sporty suspension you have to zigzag around the pot holes, broken pavement and manhole covers. It's truly an unpleasant experience driving along it, even in something non sporty.
And again its not an isolated case, the entire town is fully of poorly maintained roads, as the other towns local in the area.
It is strange. Our local council are in the process of surface dressing a number of roads again (more stonechips on my paintwork.. great) - these seem to be roads in pretty fair condition. However I know of roads which are so diabolical that I think if you hit them square on, you would damage your wheels - and they get ignored.
Are they deliberately trying to prolong the life of already decent roads, and just writing off the knackered ones?
Are they deliberately trying to prolong the life of already decent roads, and just writing off the knackered ones?
Manchester, Cheshire and Oldham the roads are a joke. Potholes so big you could get lost in them. There is a section of road near me that has white paint around all the pothole so they obviously know about them. But they've been left like that or atleast 3 months now. Spend more time looking for potholes then looking for kids running out in front of me. I went to Chester a while ago and noticed how nice the roads where. My MPG went up because I wasn't dodging holes.
Dogwatch said:
Simple:
The more Labour constituences (sp?) in the county the more money you had thrown at you 1997 - 2010.
The more Tory Constituences the more money was diverted away from you.
Copyright G.Brown (ex-Chancellor of The Exchequer)
Erm. North Yorkshire isn't exactly Labour... It's (nearly) all tory.The more Labour constituences (sp?) in the county the more money you had thrown at you 1997 - 2010.
The more Tory Constituences the more money was diverted away from you.
Copyright G.Brown (ex-Chancellor of The Exchequer)
Used to be all holes over a certain depth (couple of inches or so) had to be filled within a set period of the hole being reported. When we had the bad snow a couple of winters ago and the roads started falling apart they couldn't meet this target. So rather than spending more money some councils changed the targets for what consituted a pothole. That's why the potholes are deeper than they used to be in certain parts of the country, as they kept the new relaxed targets...
I've damaged so many tyres/wheels over the years, I'm now loathed to buy anything with big wheels/low profiles though a week after buying the current car, there's a bulge in one of the sidewalls following one particulary brutal hole on the M8.
On that note, I've always wondered where blame would lie if you hit a pot hole, damaged the tyre/wheel/etc and subsequently lost control. Not long back, a chap I know hit a pothole, dented the alloy and blew out the tyre which in turn caused the car to veer over the road. Bad enough but what if he'd had a head on with another car as a result?
I've also hit a section of broken tarmac on the M90 and whilst it didn't damage anything, it did unsettle the car pretty violently. It's always at the back of my mind that in some circumstances, that could be enough to cause you to loose control. Who'd be to blame give the ctalyst for the accident was an unsuitable road surface?
On that note, I've always wondered where blame would lie if you hit a pot hole, damaged the tyre/wheel/etc and subsequently lost control. Not long back, a chap I know hit a pothole, dented the alloy and blew out the tyre which in turn caused the car to veer over the road. Bad enough but what if he'd had a head on with another car as a result?
I've also hit a section of broken tarmac on the M90 and whilst it didn't damage anything, it did unsettle the car pretty violently. It's always at the back of my mind that in some circumstances, that could be enough to cause you to loose control. Who'd be to blame give the ctalyst for the accident was an unsuitable road surface?
Lordglenmorangie said:
Why do they spend millions on new signs, pavements and traffic calming ( big humps in road) and yet the actual road surface is left to pot (potholes). Adhock patching that only lasts a few weeks. ...
Different budgets - the contents of the first sentence are paid for by what is effectively an annual grant from central government for "road safety improvement schemes" which the council has to spend in the same financial year or next year's grant is reduced. The most efficient use of this money may not be possible, due to the need to spend it quickly by the end of the financial year 
!Meanwhile, general road repairs are paid for from a budget from the general funds decided annually by the council's finance committee then approved by executive board, and while it is a goodly sum of money it has to go a long way.
The terms might be slightly off
but it's the basic current situation with regard to funding road repairs and road safety schemes in UKplc 2012 
.^^ true.
I've got about £20-£30m of budget to use, allocated to the County Council via private contributions - called Section 106 Agreements. However, the legalese in which the Agreements are written dictate that the budgets must be used for improvements - signs, drop kerbs, calming etc - and NOT maintenance. Our hands are tied - the Members (councillors) won't sign off the spend unless it's 100% in keeping with the Agreements.
Frustrating.
In addition the earlier point about reporting them is very valid. I only know about potholes on my route to work - we rely on people (public) letting us know where back roads etc are shot. Help us to help you!
I've got about £20-£30m of budget to use, allocated to the County Council via private contributions - called Section 106 Agreements. However, the legalese in which the Agreements are written dictate that the budgets must be used for improvements - signs, drop kerbs, calming etc - and NOT maintenance. Our hands are tied - the Members (councillors) won't sign off the spend unless it's 100% in keeping with the Agreements.
Frustrating.
In addition the earlier point about reporting them is very valid. I only know about potholes on my route to work - we rely on people (public) letting us know where back roads etc are shot. Help us to help you!
Ever been to Surrey? There's a good reason why the mums drive Chelsea tractors.
The roads are truly appalling and if there aren't enough potholes they put speed humps in place.
Unless they will be used for the Olympics cycling, then they've just removed the speed humps and relaid long stretches of road with good quality tarmac. The humps will be back by August.
The roads are truly appalling and if there aren't enough potholes they put speed humps in place.
Unless they will be used for the Olympics cycling, then they've just removed the speed humps and relaid long stretches of road with good quality tarmac. The humps will be back by August.
I'm in Swansea and the roads are bloody awful.
I'm surprised I've never been pulled for drink-driving the amount I weave around to avoid potholes and sunken manhole covers. My car isn't even lowered though the tyres are pretty low profile which doesn't help. Christ knows what it's like in something really hardcore. Just about undriveable in certain parts I'd guess.
I'm surprised I've never been pulled for drink-driving the amount I weave around to avoid potholes and sunken manhole covers. My car isn't even lowered though the tyres are pretty low profile which doesn't help. Christ knows what it's like in something really hardcore. Just about undriveable in certain parts I'd guess.
Lordglenmorangie said:
Why do they spend millions on new signs, pavements and traffic calming ( big humps in road) and yet the actual road surface is left to pot (potholes). Adhock patching that only lasts a few weeks. Yorkshire and Cheshire roads are getting to the point of not fit for purpose
How you lads on bikes manage, I don't know . Eighty percent of your concentration must be the immediate road in front of you.
The Signs, pavements, traffic calming (driver infuriating) is so a council jobsworth can justify their overpaid position, pretending it,gives information and improves road safety. Maintaining roads is just an expense.How you lads on bikes manage, I don't know . Eighty percent of your concentration must be the immediate road in front of you.
Any low slung car is damaged by potholes, or driver risks abuse, or plod problems if swerving to avoid them, also the abuse or threats from other drivers when you have to crawl over speed bumps, yeh real aid to road safety that one
DE15 CAT said:
The Signs, pavements, traffic calming (driver infuriating) is so a council jobsworth can justify their overpaid position, pretending it,gives information and improves road safety. Maintaining roads is just an expense.
Ouch.I'm no jobsworth, and I'm far from overpaid... In fact I've spent the last 3 years permanently at risk of redundancy, no overtime, reduced expenses and trying to squeeze as much as I can out of my shrinking budgets. Not to mention the Olympic bods expecting immediate support when there's no pot to pay for it.
But thanks for the sentiment
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