Council called cratered road surface ‘safe’ in email...but I say that it’s shocking
VIDEO BLAST FROM CAR PASSENGER OVER ‘DISGRACEFUL’ POTHOLES
A NOTTINGHAM woman has reacted with disbelief to an email from Nottinghamshire County Council effectively telling her that a pothole-ridden road in the south of the county is safe.
Hannah Brown publicised her thoughts in a Youtube video posted on April 8, in which she berated the council’s response to her complaint about the A606 Melton Road near Widmerpool Island.
The video begins by showing Ms Brown, as a passenger in a car, bumping around while travelling over the dilapidated surface. She then shows an email from the council responding to a complaint she had filed.
The email says: “We will continue to monitor conditions at this site at regular intervals to ensure that the surface remain (sic) in a safe condition for highway users in line with our safety investigation levels.”
Melton Road, a 12.5-mile stretch which runs between West Bridgford and Nether Broughton on the way to Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, is “currently assessed on a monthly basis, with adhoc inspections taking place when concerns are raised,” the council said. The problematic patch is just 200 metres from a large roundabout where the road meets the A46.
The area was set to be repaired between the end of August and early September last year, the council told Ms Brown. But the plans were put on hold when planning permission was granted for a Welcome Break services to be built at the island.
Work on the services was to involve the road surface being excavated and resurfaced, meaning the council would not have had to do the work themselves. Now, however, the council says that resurfacing works will commence next month and continue through May.
The work to build the service station is set to start in July. There is no indication as to how long it will take. Ms Brown said in the video: “It’s mindblowing - they do not give a ****. Roads are absolutely shocking. It is a massive, massive problem at the moment. This is just a small section of a big county where roads are not fit for purpose. It’s bad for a car, never mind a motorbike.
“If a biker went over that roundabout and started to speed up not knowing how bad that road was, they’d be gone. No doubt about it. And the council just don’t care. I’m sick of it. It’s just disgraceful. I have to pay road tax and MOT my car to make sure it’s fit for purpose to be on those roads when the roads are not fit for purpose for my car.”
A highways manager from Nottinghamshire County Council said: “We’re pleased to let road users know that resurfacing works will be taking place on the A606 between the A46 and Upper Broughton. These will commence next month.
“This will start with full resurfacing of the section adjacent to the A46 roundabout which is due to take place on May 11, with larger patch repairs on areas between the roundabout and Upper Broughton to follow in late June.
“The current resurfacing of the A46 and the associated restrictions imposed by National Highways mean that we have been unable to access the A46 as a diversion route until May, however we will monitor the location and undertake smaller urgent safety repairs until the works are complete.”
This is just a small section of a big county where roads are not fit for purpose.
Hannah Brown