Hull and East Riding councils among worst for filling potholes, campaigners say
HULL and East Riding councils have been ranked among the worst authorities in the country for filling potholes.
According to pothole campaign websites, Yorkshire has some of the worst figures for potholes and road defects.
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Hessle Road has numerous potholes.
In Saturday's Mail, we revealed how Hull City Council could lose a third of its pothole repairs team.
The workers were recruited in June 2009 as part of an £800,000 project.
But this is now set to finish and the council does not have the cash to continue it.
In a league table, published by fillthathole.co.uk, Hull was ranked 193 out of 213 authorities for its response on filling potholes.
The campaigning website claims that only seven out of 52 holes reported by the website have been fixed in Hull since January 2007.
And in the East Riding the news is even worse, with the authority being ranked 196.
In addition, website potholes.co.uk found that 8.97 per cent of drivers in East Yorkshire damage their vehicles on potholes – far above the national average of 6.1 per cent.
Duncan McClure Fisher, founder of potholes.co.uk, said: "Unfortunately, diminishing road maintenance budgets across almost all councils means the damage done to the UK's road network isn't going to be remedied in a hurry.
"The trend is that the further north you go, the worse the roads get, which is often due to more severe weather.
"The Yorkshire region is worse than average and when the cuts take place, the roads are likely to suffer even more damage."
Auto Elite Hull Limited, a garage based in Hull's Brighton Street Industrial Estate, said they are getting two or three drivers a week complaining of damage due to potholes.
A spokesman for East Riding Council said: "The council does not actively monitor fillthathole.org.uk or the many other ones like it.
"The figures they quote therefore do not represent our level of response.
"Obviously those councils which are monitoring the site will do better in the league table.
"But the council's view is that our time is better spent inspecting the highways and arranging the necessary repairs as quickly and efficiently as possible."
Councillor Mike Ross, Hull City Council's portfolio holder for customer and neighbourhood services said: "During 2010, we fixed 7,300 potholes and we continue to have teams out every day fixing them.
"We have sought to make the process more efficient by investing in machines that make it quicker to fix them.
"We encourage our residents to report potholes through our website, at one of our customer service centres, or via our 300300 contact centre, so we can then log them, send out an inspector, prioritise them and feedback when they have been fixed."
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by No NWO, Earth
Wednesday, February 02 2011, 1:50PM
“We the people suffer faults to our vehicles and pay out of our own pockets because of poor quality work and/or lack of funding.
But wait, they have enough money to expand a stadium, they have enough money to claim expenses of US. Not get taken to court, not punished in anyway.
Democracy or Fascism?”
by Goolie, Goole
Monday, January 31 2011, 10:49PM
“Astonomia again you have your finger on the pulse. My most hearteous congratulations good work.”
by MJ, E.Yorks
Monday, January 31 2011, 10:03PM
“This is why I support the public spending cuts. The public sector has become hugely costly and for the most part grossly incompetent (with a few exceptions).
The it¿s not my job, can¿t really be bothered would much rather be dwn the pub attitude needs to change and quick.”
by Cher, Hull
Monday, January 31 2011, 9:14PM
“Nigel you are either dumb or so bitter and twisted that Rovers are a better team than FC, Get it into your thick scull, HCC are not giving Rovers anything, it is prudential borrowing off the government along with european funding. you really are tedious printing the same childish remarks all over HDM website, a bit of advice GROW UP.”
by darren, stuck in a pothole
Monday, January 31 2011, 6:02PM
“come on Carl Minns quit your job, you are only interested in linning your big fat pockets. i bet all the potholes on your way to work are repaird.”
by Fantastic Voyager, In The Pub, Being Supported.
Monday, January 31 2011, 5:42PM
“Nigel, hull: "Register you disgust by emailing Councillor Minns at COUNCILLOR.MINNS@hullcc.gov.uk". Also, don't forget to register your disgust, Nige, at Karl.Turner.mp@parliament.uk as he supports the council decision to expand Craven Park which you believe to an erroneous one.”
by Lou, Here
Monday, January 31 2011, 2:55PM
“I could fill the holes better with my daughters play-doh.”
by Nigel, hull
Monday, January 31 2011, 1:38PM
“How can Hull Council state that they haven't enaough money to fill in the pot holes in the road when at the same time giving Rovers £4.2 million to increase the capacity of a ground they can't even fill now.There were less than 4,000 people at the game yesterday.
Register you disgust by emailing Councillor Minns at COUNCILLOR.MINNS@hullcc.gov.uk”
by Fantastic Voyager, Hull, A Day In The Life.....
Monday, January 31 2011, 1:13PM
“"...pothole campaign websites..." Hahahaha.
Anyway
Nigel, Hull: MP for Hull East, Karl Turner thinks that "... Hull City Council have made the right decision", HDM, 23.11.2010, in respect of the £multi-million Craven Park extension.”
by ally fish, waiting for AA to tow the car home
Monday, January 31 2011, 1:03PM
“If you are unlucky enough to hit a pot hole and suffer damage to your car you can claim against the Local Authority. You need to take photos of the offending pot-hole (with some indication of size/depth), the damage to your car, the exact location of the pot hole and the time of the incident, provide a written estimate for the repairs to your car, and then get on the blower to the L.A. responsible. Send it off in writing registered post to a named recipient at the responsible department. Local Authorities have a statutory obligation under the Highways Act to maintain the highway in a fit-for-purpose condition. They will pass the claim onto their insurers for processing. It may take some time, but they may cough up a cheque rather than contest the claim, which could be more expensive for them. They did in my case a few years back and settled in full for the direct costs of the repair.
Personally, I detest the ambulance chasing compensation culture we have in the UK. But in the case of L.A.'s who can afford to pay six figure 'golden good-byes' to public servants already entitled to index-linked final salary pensions for life, I am prepared to make an exception. :-)”