Axe falls on Hull's pothole busters: Council redundancies as roads crumble
A TEAM of Hull City Council "pothole busters" is to lose a third of its workers, despite the crumbling condition of Hull's roads.
Staff specifically employed to repair craters are facing redundancy next month as part of budget reductions.
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BUMPY ROAD AHEAD: The council insist they will be able to cope with the necessary road repairs.
They workers were all recruited in June 2009 as part of an £800,000 push to fix a backlog of pothole repairs.
But that project is about to finish and the council does not have the cash to continue it.
This is despite the city's roads being in one of their worst states, following two harsh winters.
The city council has insisted the authority will still be able to cope with the necessary repairs following the reduction in staff numbers.
However, one of the workers now facing redundancy said: "So far this winter it's been twice as bad for the number of potholes appearing so I dread to think how big the backlog is now."
The man, who did not wish to be named, said the 90-day redundancy notices were due to expire at the end of March.
"I just can't understand how the council is even considering finishing us when everyone can see how bad the roads are," he said.
The £800,000 spent tackling potholes was used for the new workers' wages, materials and machinery.
Andy Burton, the council's head of streetscene services, told the Mail: "I am comfortable with the gangs we have left and I am confident we can cope with what we have.
"We have invested in new planing equipment, costing £32,000, which will be better and faster."
Motorists say they are angry that the potholes team will be reduced.
Hull taxi driver Sue Bellmon's vehicle suffered front suspension damage after hitting a pothole on Priory Road, which cost her £100 and made her miss two days of work
She said: "The roads are absolutely terrible and full of potholes.
"I have to spend money to make sure the car is road worthy and I also pay road tax but the council doesn't seem to be using that money to fix the roads."
47 Comments
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by Mikey, at the side of the road witha broken car
Saturday, January 29 2011, 11:46PM
“2 years since I've reported some potholes/inadequate road building and still no repairs done!
Reported top-end of leeds rd last april, they piled some extra fill on top last week, which has sunk away already!
http://www.fixmystreet.com/report/112323”
by Pat Foster, Hull
Saturday, January 29 2011, 2:36PM
“When the potholes are repaired they are soon back again. Potholes on Bellfield Avenue near Netto were repaired last week, they are now nearly as bad as before as all the new asphalt is crumbling. If a good job was done in the first place it would cost much less in the long run”
by Simon, Anlaby
Saturday, January 29 2011, 10:26AM
“By what route does Sue Bellmon think that her Vehicle Excise Duty which is paid to the Treasury, gets back to KHCC for their road maintenance budget?”
by disco, going to macdonalds soon
Saturday, January 29 2011, 6:25AM
“nigel your a t w a t and a scummer.....
mr mimms is taking the p i ss if he thinks he can cut the workforce down. the roads are the worst in yorkshire fact get a grip hcc i for one will not be paying council tax/poll tax/what ever you call it now”
by Steve, Hull
Friday, January 28 2011, 8:49PM
“Fantastic Voyager Have you finished now? Yawn Grow UP”
by Rob, Hull
Friday, January 28 2011, 8:30PM
“Dean, £100 million is not £1 billion. £1000 million is a billion and that's only in american calculation. A british billion used to be a million million but the noughts get confusing so we go with the US way.”
by Nigel, Hull
Friday, January 28 2011, 7:48PM
“How ridiculous that the Council can't afford to repair the potholes in the road but they can afford to give Rovers 4.2 million to increase the capacity of a ground which they can't fill anyway.
Register your disgust to :-
COUNCILLOR.MINNS@hullcc.gov.uk”
by Fantastic Voyager, Hull. Leeds, with 30% of IQ removed.
Friday, January 28 2011, 7:43PM
“Steve, hull - I'm afraid that ad hominem arguments do not disprove the facts. No money is taken from motorists to pay for the roads. In the same way that the sick are not taxed for being ill etc. As pedestrians use the pavements which are a part of the highways, to follow your skewed logic, then they should also pay "road tax." Your car may not be legal without VED, but funds are not hypothecated for road building from this levy. Sorry that you can't grasp this simple concept.”
by ratepayer, hull
Friday, January 28 2011, 6:02PM
“get pie eater minns to muck in he's the dead wood we need redundant with his hangers on !”
by mike, hull
Friday, January 28 2011, 5:39PM
“You couldnt make it up if you where writing a comedy.carl mimms is so stupid or is it just plain arrogance that has him squeezing every last penny in savings.we want to attract world class companies like seimens but have a third world road system in the city,get the roads sorted you divvy .no you cant cope with less men the overtime you will incur will prove a false economy.”