Motorcyclists’ lives ‘put at risk’

A motorcyclist expert claims bikers “put their lives at risk” when they drive on Kent’s roads due to the amount of potholes.

Nicholas Farley, member of the Kent Advanced Motorcyclists Group, wrote to the scrutiny committee at Kent County Council, explaining how the group found one in seven has suffered injury and/or machine damage due to hitting a pothole while riding.

His speech said: “Far too often it seems that judgements about what constitutes a ‘safe’ road are made only from the point of view of the driver of a car; there does not seem to be any real understanding of how difficult and dangerous it can be to navigate Kent’s roads on two wheels.”

Cllr Matthew Balfour (Con) said the council had to make tough funding decisions.

But Cllr Trudy Dean (Lib Dem) claimed the safety of roads is “the biggest issue for residents in Kent”. She added public health policy is being directed towards keeping elderly people out of hospitals but footpaths are not fit for purpose.