Huge pothole deemed ‘not dangerous’ to be repaired

A POTHOLE measuring five feet by 26 inches wide and seven inches deep – which a parish councillor was told by highway inspectors was not dangerous – has been moved up a category.

At the August meeting of Waterhouses Parish Council, Councillor John Harvey said that he first reported to the county highways last February that there were deep potholes in Pikelow Lane, Waterfall.

Following the meeting Mr Harvey said he received an email from the highways which said: “A highways inspector has now visited and assessed the site. The reported issue is not currently considered to be a risk to public safety and no works will be carried out at this stage.

“However, the report will remain on our records and the location will be routinely inspected for any changes in the level of risk.”

Mr Harvey said: “One pothole is five feet long, 26 inches wide and seven inches deep on a narrow road. How can this not be dangerous?”

At last week’s meeting of the parish council, the council received an email from county councillor for the area, Gill Heath.

Mrs Heath had contacted highway officers, who had then replied to her.

In reply to Mrs Heath’s concern, the highway officer James Bailey, said: “As you know without the money to do everything as quickly as we’d like the law requires that we prioritise repairs based on the level of risk of causing personal injury or property damage.

“The level of risk is calculated by both the potential severity, but also the likelihood of it occurring i.e. level of exposure.

“Given these defects are on remote rural lanes (no through routes) the level of exposure is very low. Initially, the defects were therefore correctly assigned Cat three.

“However, a more recent review of their continued deterioration has meant they have now been re-inspected and reassigned as Cat two, which should see them repaired within the next week or so.”

The parish council are also pressing for work for be completed on the main A523 Leek to Ashbourne Road at Miles Knoll just outside the village on the Calton Moor side which is in poor condition.

The parish clerk, Jason Buxton said: “We are also trying to get a response on whether any work is planned for the A523 heading out of Waterhouses where the main road is in a poor condition with large patches of the top surface completely missing. We are still waiting on this.”

Here are the roads in the Staffordshire Moorlands where work has recently taken place according to the county council’s September 17 carriageway repair list.

Blythe Bridge – Blithe View

Boundary – Boundary Road

Cellarhead – Kingsley Road

Cheadle – Chapel Street and Well Street Cheddleton – Cheadle Road and East Drive Godleybrook – Perkins Lane

Leek – Abbey Green Road; Abbotts Road; Argles Road; Badnall Close; Barnfield Road; Furmston Place; Haregate Road; Nelson Street; Park Road; Prince Street; Queens Drive; Ramshaw View; Stile House Lane; Tittesworth Avenue and Westminster Road Leekbrook – Leek Road

Longsdon – Devils Lane

Meerbrook – Meerbrook Road Totmonslow – Draycott Road

Werrington – Armshead Road and Ash Bank Road

Wetley Rocks – Cheadle Road and Consall Lane