Funding agreed to repair pothole roads
Columbus Ravine to be made ‘bike race ready’ following grant
Roads should all be in as good a condition as those repaired to a “pristine” standard for the Tour de Yorkshire, councillors have agreed, as the areas to be targeted by a £3.2 million Government potholes fund were revealed.
Residents have spoken of their relief as North Yorkshire County council announced 38 more roads, some of which have been the subject of longstanding calls for repair work, were being introduced to this year’s potholes programme.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling announced extra Government funding for pothole repairs in March, following what he said had been “an unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather”. Contractors for the authority will be charged with bringing an extra seven in Richmondshire, three in Hambleton, four inthe Scarborough borough , seven in Ryedale, four in Harrogate, three in Craven and ten in Selby up to “Tour de Yorkshire standard”.
Among the largest of the schemes are £300,000 on Columbus Ravine, Scarborough.
North Yorkshire’s roads boss Councillor Don Mackenzie said the additional funding was “very welcome”, with the authority working within a £60m budget to maintain its highway network of 9,200km of road, 4,000km of pavements, 47,000 street lights, 2,000 bridges and 340 traffic signals.
The number of reported potholes, emergency pothole repairs and road conditions causing concern in the county over December and January was more than double than in the same period the previous year, partly due to the online reporting of potholes to the Conservative-run council being made easier.
As the council revealed its estimated road repairs backlog would be up to £440m three years ago, its leaders admitted they were “never going to hit a point where we can say our roads are bowling green standard”.
However, Labour councillors Eric Broadbent and Tony Randerson said it was time for the authority to press for more for their money from contractors.
Cllr Randerson, who also sits on Scarborough Borough Council, said: “Yes, the Tour de Yorkshire was a success and I’m sure it was enjoyed by many, many thousands of people. However I am concerned about the inconsistent approach that there seemingly is over the standard of repair of our highways. When I travelled to Northallerton last week all the repairs were pristine.
“You could hardly feel a ripple when you went over in your vehicle. However, when it comes to the non-Tour de Yorkshire routes I am not aware of the same level of satisfaction.
“The contractors have now proved they are up to the job. If they can achieve that for the Tour de Yorkshire, what I am looking for is the same standard on all our highways across the county.”
North Yorkshire County-Council leader Councillor Carl Les said he agreed with Cllr Randerson, adding: “I would like to make the standard as good wherever it is done.”
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