Drivers furious over wait for permanent fix to potholes

A permanent fix to a pothole which has caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to cars over recent weeks will be carried out in March it has been confirmed.

But motorists are becoming increasingly frustrated by the state of the roads.

Council chiefs insist a temporary fix to the hole which emerged on the level crossing at Sturry will hold until then, despite it causing headaches to motorists.

It was first reported to Kent County Council, which is responsible for the road network, in December, and a temporary fix put in place on January 2. Since then several drivers have complained after driving over the hole.

Posting on the Canterbury Residents’ Facebook page, Claire Marie Allen wrote: “It cost me £217 for two new tyres, two springs and to get the tracking done again.”

Neil Allen added: “This pothole was reported by us to the police at 6.20pm as had damaged both Natalie Taylor who is concerned about the poor condition and large potholes on Sturry Road in Canterbury

left side alloys and the tyres gone flat.

“At 6.40pm the hole was temporary fixed by an out of hours Kent Highways officer who basically said a hole like that so near to the railway cannot be fixed properly without closing the crossing.”

Network Rail confirmed work took place – but only to repaint the markings.

County council spokesman Thom Morris confirmed: “Our out-of-hours officer responded

to a call regarding a pothole on January 2 and it was filled in as best we could – bearing in mind the location next to the railway lines.

“The material had consolidated in the hours since it was filled and shortly after 10pm we returned to top up the material.

“We have had subsequent inquiries but the steward has been over the location last week and the repair is holding up.

“We will now co-ordinate a per-

manent repair with Network Rail when they plan to close the crossing at the beginning of March, though we will need their agreement to be able to do this.”

It is far from the only blot on the roads landscape.

Mother-of-one Natalie Taylor, 42, from Broad Oak Road said: “There are trenches and craters all over the roads – there are sunken manholes too. It is endangering people’s lives.

“I have called the police and contacted highways repeatedly but nobody seems to want to know.

“It is very bad at the top of Sturry Road.

“My son rides a motorbike. What if he hits one of the holes and goes under a lorry?

“Highways come along with a bucket of slop to fill them and it is washed away.

“Cars are getting damaged regularly and accidents are going to happen.”

Picture: Andrew Frisby Potholes in Recreation Ground Road