Better approach than "fill that hole"... :)

[thomas]

I know many people have used that Fill a hole website successfully, but I've never had a response from the few I've posted.

There is a stretch of road on my commute (or what was my commute as I'm now back in Norwich) which was awful! I can put up with some pot holes and uneven surface, but this bit is terrible. To give yourself an idea, check out this video at the beginning. It is like that and worst both sides at the bottom and nearer the top.

I posted this on the fill a hole, heard nothing.

I posted it on the Surrey county council pot hole website, heard nothing.

I then emailed my local council and forwarded it to about 5 local councillors...got 2 really good responses (within about 30 minutes of sending the email, even at 9 at night), from the most relevant people explaining the situation.

The last commute before coming back to UNI they had marked the road with spray paint!

From what I am aware there are funding issues but the Councillor for the area wants to have a chat on the phone to get statements from cyclists in regard to safety issues it causes. Not spoken to him yet, but I guess if they can put a case forward they'll be able to get the funding somehow for it (will post when I've spoken to him).

We are contemplating a range of options against the Highway Authority, and as such are seeking to collect witness statements from cyclists (as ‘ordinary’ users of the highway). In addition to this, if you have and family or friends who also use the B382 as cyclists, we would very much like to hear from them. We are especially keen to hear about safety incidents connected with the road surface.

Sooo, looks like a quick email, forwarded into a load of local councillors can be a good way to get some movement .

******

In regard to the road, if anyone cycles in Woking, Surrey ... or around the area and uses the B382 (Old Woking Road):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...1.324176,-0.520649&spn=0.026014,0.077162&z=14

Or if you know anyone who does, I'd be really grateful for a PM so I could pass on the councillors' details just to show there is a need to redo the road.

 

[Bman]

Yesterday I reported a few issues to Herts CC, about 4 in the morning on a night shift.

2hrs later I had a council worker on the phone looking for the problem! Granted this was only a fallen branch blocking a cycletrack, but I was impressed.

 

[Twenty Inch]

Tower Hamlets Wheelers went out one year planting trees in potholes around the Borough.

 

[BentMikey]

There's a huge benefit to using fillthathole, and that's that every report made on there now has an independent record. That means councils can't hide from the reports, ignore them, or avoid genuine litigation if/when another cyclist later comes along and crashes because they haven't bothered to sort out the pothole.

Don't get me wrong, I love thomas's approach too, but I strongly feel we should support the CTC line and use fillthathole first, and then further video embarassment if necessary.

http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

 

[thomas]

The reason for my approach was that fill a hole and using the appropriate website didn't work.

I would probably still report any future pot holes via the fill a hole for the reasons of having a report there, but as I didn't have any reply I just got a bit fed up with not knowing what was happening.

I really just wanted to know what was/wasn't going to happen with the road - I was less worried about it being fixed. The fact that it is now marked and out and hopefully will be re done is a bonus.

Goodness only knows how much it would cost to re do the road properly...the other side of the hill has a lovely surface, so it would be fantastic if they did that, rather than just laying tarmac over bits of it.

 

[simon_adams_uk]

I cycle along that stretch of road at least twice a week but have never had any problems... luck of the draw maybe. I'll definitely go that way tonight and see what state the carriageway's in.

Simon

 

[semislickstick]

I have a couple of potholes on my ride back at night that you just can't see til you are on top of them(country unlit roads), very difficult to change your direction if there is a car overtaking closely, I have reported them on most of the sites I can find since Feb 2009. They are getting worse! I've taken to marking them with road paint just so I can tell they are coming up, I hope it helps others to spot something is wrong too, is that bad?
Also taking a photo of the hole, shows how bad it is, choose the right angle! and it is good evidence for the fillthehole site if anyone should have an accident on a reported pothole where nothing was done.

I remember someone saying here that they got problems fixed quicker if they said they would pursue the council for compensation and go to the newspapers if they found that anyone else had an accident due to the dept not fixing the issue after it was reported. (I expect you can only do that a few times though?)

 

[thomas]

I cycle along that stretch of road at least twice a week but have never had any problems... luck of the draw maybe. I'll definitely go that way tonight and see what state the carriageway's in.

Simon

For the most part is is good. It is just this stretch:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...,-0.520713&sspn=0.006503,0.01929&ie=UTF8&z=16

It isn't the hole stretch of road, but the surface is poor at point B on the side leaving West Byfleet and at point A...and Point A going towards West Byfleet isn't great either.

Further back from point A there is a bit which isn't the best, but I could live with it. Further back from point B is a lovely smooth surface.

It's annoying streetview doesn't come out as far that way.

The councillors I spoke to were already interested in repairing that road and were aware of the section.

 

[BentMikey]

The reason for my approach was that fill a hole and using the appropriate website didn't work.

Yup, I agree. Your approach is a good escalation though, especially if you mention how the council didn't respond to the original report!!!

 

[dellzeqq]

The word is that Surrey has the worst record of any council, and that is because they can't write a contract to save their lives.

I've had some success with Surrey with e-mails to the Council, and the generous use of spray paint around the hole, but I have a sort of ace card - I say that 70 riders will go down that road at two in the morning.

BM is right, though. FTH is worth using, because, in the event of an crash, the rider can find out whether it's been reported. It's worked for a chap on the CTC forum. Not as satisfactory as getting the hole filled, but some recompense.

 

[garrilla]

The reason for my approach was that fill a hole and using the appropriate website didn't work.

I would probably still report any future pot holes via the fill a hole for the reasons of having a report there, but as I didn't have any reply I just got a bit fed up with not knowing what was happening.

I really just wanted to know what was/wasn't going to happen with the road - I was less worried about it being fixed. The fact that it is now marked and out and hopefully will be re done is a bonus.

mention this to your new councillor friend, its an example of bad practice at the council that they don't respond

 

[thomas]

mention this to your new councillor friend, its an example of bad practice at the council that they don't respond

He's aware....I mentioned the steps I had taken in my first email

I do agree, FTH isn't useless, just doing it with my approach seems to be a better way of getting it done and also allowing other people to know it has been reported.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Seems like your way is a good escalation route, thomas. Get it on fill that hole (as seems to be the consensus in the thread) to give an independent record, then escalate if nothing seems to be happening within a "reasonable" time frame.

 

[CharlesF]

I agree. I used FTH to report standing water under the Maryhill Road Aquaduct, with no results. Through FTH, I was given the option of writing to one or all councilors.

I chose all and got a response from all. Two actually followed it up and escalated it to the council who reported back that the surface was okay but the drains needed clearing.

Now have to wait and see, but I do have direct contacts with the council.

 

[numbnuts]

I complained to FTH, the whole road 150 yards of it was like a patch work quilt - a year later still not done
Complained again still nothing
Told the council - 3 months later I get a phone call, can’t repair the road we have no money until August - they kepted their word YES