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Emergency funding bid for £5.5m pothole bill
As Herefordshire thaws after the big freeze, the full damage to the county’s road network is becoming clear. Herefordshire Council estimates it will cost over £5.5 million to repair the potholes created as the water froze, expanded and broke up road surfaces.
The council and its highways partner, Amey Herefordshire, are currently scouring the county’s roads and lanes to repair hazardous potholes and keep roads safe.
In the meantime, council leader Roger Phillips has written to the Department of Transport to request the government to enact emergency funding. He makes the case that the road network has ‘suffered considerable damage as a direct result of the recent and unusually severe weather, which has left roads not meeting the high expectations of the public’.
He urges the government to act by making available extra financial support to address the full impact of the damage urgently. Several councils are expected to make similar requests.
“As in previous years Herefordshire continues to effectively deliver winter gritting and snow clearance to keep the county’s primary routes open”, said Councillor Phillips.
“There is great regret that there is never enough rock salt available in the national supply system for the council to grit over 2,000 miles of minor and unclassified roads – the focus always has to be on the A and B roads together with key access roads, such as to the county hospital, that keep the county open for business and emergency vehicles.
“However, now we face another challenge to repair hazardous potholes in the road network as quickly as possible – and although there are contingencies in the council’s budget, the financial impact is out of all proportion to what could have been expected during the winters Herefordshire is used to”.
Over 10,000 tonnes of grit have been used on Herefordshire’s roads this winter so far, mostly during the first two weeks of January. A typical recent winter would normally require about 5,000 tonnes of grit for the entire season.
If anyone spots a pothole, they are asked to contact the council’s street care line on 01432 261800 or at streets@herefordshire.gov.uk
Posted
: 26/01/2010 14:34:52
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