Repairs to 1,339 pot holes across Cambridgeshire last week didn’t include the pothole in the Fens that caught MP Steve Barclay.
He said: “My flat car tyre – probably from one of the many local pot holes – re-enforces the point I have been making for weeks.
“We must ensure Cambridgeshire County Council invests the extra money it has been awarded by the Government specifically for pot holes in improvements in Fen roads.”
Mr Barclay, the MP for NE Cambs, has again posted on line a selection of potholes from the Fens that he wants repaired.
“I am particularly concerned for local motorbike riders who risk injury from potholes, as well as the damage to cars more generally if repairs are not fixed,” he said.
“Weasenham Lane, Wisbech, and the adjourning roads of Regal Road and Algores Way, Wisbech, are some of the worst roads locally at the moment, and I have raised these and many others with the county council.”
There have been 9,000 reports of potholes in Cambridgeshire in the first three months in 2018 compared to 7,500 for the whole of 2017.
County councillor Susan van de Ven is one of those campaigning for urgent improvements.
“What’s happening to our roads and pavements,” she said.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with reports of pot holes: tyre blow-outs, falling off bikes, near-misses by swerving drivers, and so on.
“Last year, Cambridgeshire highways received 7,500 pothole reports.
Mr Barclay said: “Can I ask as many readers as possible to report any potholes they are aware of on www.fixmystreet.com or the county council website?”
Independent Fenland councillor Virginia Bucknor said that yesterday in the Waterlees area of Wisbech ‘I went and checked out the status of some of the dreadful potholes and emailed the county council highways officer responsible - Steve Nicholson.
“He must have a pretty tough job.
I drew his attention to the ‘crater’ outside the Oasis, Cherry Road, and the junction of Beechwood and St Michael’s Avenue. and Beechwood Close.”
County councillor Sebastian Kindersley said the state of the roads in Cambridgeshire despite a £90 million loan being secured from the Government for road maintenance.
But changes to the way the loan was structured – and spent – means the council has missed many of its opportunities for substantial improvements.
“I reckon that our roads will be worse than they were when this programme started,” he said. “Much worse”.
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