£95m to repair our ‘crumbling roads’ (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting TANEWS to 80360, or email
£95m to repair our ‘crumbling roads’
9:00am Friday 15th March 2013 in News
By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter
Bradford Council spent £215,000 filling in potholes in the district last year
It would cost £95 million and take 11 years to repair pothole damage on Bradford’s ‘crumbling roads’, according to a new survey.
A report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) said the figure was the average sum councils across Yorkshire said they would need to bring their roads up to scratch and revealed last year’s flood damage added £24m to their road repairs’ bill.
The Telegraph & Argus earlier this month reported how Bradford Council was to invest half a million pounds into bringing the city’s broken roads up to scratch as new figures revealed it spent £215,000 repairing 6,159 potholes across the district last year.
Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed Bradford Council made more repairs and spent more money on the problem in 2012 than it did the year before, despite receiving fewer complaints from residents.
In 2011, the Council spent £212,000 fixing 5,963 potholes after 1,722 complaints – with Bradford, Shipley and Keighley listed as hotspots.
Last year, the number of complaints fell to 1,453. The amount for the repair of each pothole came to around £40.
The AIA has called for longer-term funding for preventative work that would reduce the need for repair jobs.
Alan Mackenzie, chairman of the AIA, said: “It’s time to stop the rot. The Government needs to make sufficient funding available now that will enable local authorities to get their roads back into a condition that will quickly and directly boost the economy, help businesses and improve local communities.”
He spoke as results of a separate survey by the AA revealed its members had branded Yorkshire’s road surfaces as the worst in the country, with 34 per cent of drivers in the region saying they had suffered damage to their vehicles as a result of potholes in the last two years.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “This spring, our patrols are telling us that potholes are popping up faster than daffodils.
“This reflects the effects of very wet and frosty weather on poor road surfaces. Our findings are deeply worrying and show that UK drivers are once again experiencing a bad pothole season after a lull last spring – perhaps with worse to come.”
Comments(10)
The Hoffster
says...
11:34am Fri 15 Mar 13
Albion. wrote:You can say that again.
Much of the repair work going on is of a very low quality and doesn't last.
In fact, someone mentioned that it's a pretty lucrative 'business' this pot-hole repairing.
Those involved apparently use very low-quality materials knowing that the repair won't last (thereby being called out again to start over).
And as implied, the money's pretty good for the 'service'..
JAtkinson
says...
11:59am Fri 15 Mar 13
Not so simple
says...
12:48pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Typical
Al Spade
says...
5:08pm Fri 15 Mar 13
RollandSmoke
says...
7:02am Sat 16 Mar 13
The Hoffster
says...
10:37am Sat 16 Mar 13
RollandSmoke wrote:I'm afraid there's no such thing as road tax. It's called Vehicle Excise Duty and the money goes towards general tax expenditure.
Someone remind me why we pay road tax again? If it's not gone on keeping the roads up to scratch where has it gone?
Albion.
says...
10:43am Sat 16 Mar 13
RollandSmoke wrote:"we"?
Someone remind me why we pay road tax again? If it's not gone on keeping the roads up to scratch where has it gone?
wobbley-bob
says...
4:08pm Sat 16 Mar 13
Albion. wrote:I was just thinking the same thing. :)
RollandSmoke wrote:"we"?
Someone remind me why we pay road tax again? If it's not gone on keeping the roads up to scratch where has it gone?
spinnekop
says...
10:07am Sun 17 Mar 13
Lets just say this ad infenitum, a downward spiral if you please .... ( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset )( unless you are rich and can offset ) Et multi plas infinitum. :)
Albion. says...
10:11am Fri 15 Mar 13