Councils and potholes.

[PoliceMadAd]

I've recently reported 3 potholes that would affect cyclists (riding line) to my local council. All filled within 1 week, and a reply e-mail to say they've been done. The job they do ain't bad either . Anyone want to share their reporting experiences?

 

[format]

I have to say I haven't actually reported any yet... being a relatively new commuter I wasn't really aware that we could.

The thing is, the big ones aren't really much of a problem - I cycle mostly the same route and whilst they are very dangerous, I know they are there. Obviously I'd like them to get filled in (and will definitely consider reporting them now) but it's the general state of the roads that concern me - the uneven surfaces, smaller bumps and cracks that are not necessarily immediately dangerous. I'm convinced my bike is going to crap out on me because it's not designed to be rode on what is often similar to 'off-road' conditions.

 

[Aperitif]

London is a Pothole Museum, with many original designs and a plethora of copies, doing their best to wreck wheels and cyclists everywhere in the urbanity. Complaining direct to the Council(s) has done me no good - apart from receiving platitudinous responses from people saying they are doing their best to reply to my 'contact' blah blah - so tiresome.
http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/
This works. Although it would be a mission to catalogue 'riding line' disruption on an average say, 15 mile commute. Even stuff that was totally resurfaced two weeks ago on my commute (A5 at Colindale, London) is dropping by the gullies +/- 80 cm from the kerb. Until someone with an 'interest in cycle wheels' makes the resurfacing operatives take care, this 'building in of hazard' will be a recurrent issue.

 

[Jonathing]

I reported a couple through fill that hole, including one major one in the middle of the carrigeway where traffic turns right across it. The city council responded saying they'd filled it thee day before but the next time I was working eown that way there it was again. Trying to turf me off my bike in the middle of the road. Funny how it reappeared almost immediately, exactly how it was before.

 

[Chrismawa]

Reported several potholes and a 'crater' in my street. Still waiting to be fixed. My council would rather piss about with kerbs and put in pelican crossings where they aren't needed, than actually fix the roads.

 

[Kestevan]

Likewise..... Kirklees seems to ignore the roads for 10 mnths of the year, then in Feb/March every road in the area seems to have temporary traffic lights erected - no actual workers, just traffic lights......

They seem to spend the majority of the roads budget on widening pavements, adding traffic islands and speed bumps. This is despite the speeding on the majority of the roads is nigh on impossible because of the huge craters.

As far as I can tell the main effect of the councils "traffic calming" measures seems to be to restrict the road width so drivers pass even closer than before.

 

[billy1561]

Warrington council have been pretty decent in responding to potholes reported. All the obscure ones have been filled within a week but some of the high traffic ones are still waiting. Low priority i guess

 

[darth vadar]

Reported several potholes and a 'crater' in my street. Still waiting to be fixed. My council would rather piss about with kerbs and put in pelican crossings where they aren't needed, than actually fix the roads.

My Council have done exactly the same spending money on stuff like that and improving bus stops with shelters, big kerbs and red tarmac.

Council's usually have to bid for specific pots of government cash and then that money can only be spent on whatever it is they have bid for.

A council estate near me has dreadful potholes in its surface, yet the local authority are busy replacing all the pavement slabs with tarmac.

Stupid system but thats normally how it works.

Maybe if a few of the decision makers lived where they worked things might be different.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

The council is shallow and the potholes are deep. Both look like they will stay that way for some time.

 

[killiekosmos]

My Council decided not to spend any more on speed bumps and use funds (and tar !) to fill in holes.

 

[DCCD]

My Council decided not to spend any more on speed bumps and use funds (and tar !) to fill in holes.

Speed bumps are a pain for cyclists.....I doubt any council gives any regard for cyclists when they install speed bumps, so the less of them the better!

 

[Chrismawa]

Speed bumps are a pain for cyclists.....I doubt any council gives any regard for cyclists when they install speed bumps, so the less of them the better!

They are a pain for everyone! They don't slow people down, just make a mess of our roads (besides the pot holes).

 

[DCCD]

They are a pain for everyone! They don't slow people down, just make a mess of our roads (besides the pot holes).

It would be a good exercise for the people who make decisions on councils to get out there on a bike and see the impact that there decisions are having on the community.

 

[Chrismawa]

It would be a good exercise for the people who make decisions on councils to get out there on a bike and see the impact that there decisions are having on the community.

I agree, I bet there are no speed bumps where they live too. There are bumps and narrowing obstacles all the way down one road and it randomly stops about 2/3's down for some reason. Councillors house at that end perhaps...?

 

[Matthames]

There is one road near me that is so bad that it is in a dangerous condition. I have reported it to the council last week, but still nothing has been done about it. When I reported it, it was the size of a dinner plate, now it has deteriorated and takes up an entire lane. You would get better looking roads than this in a war zone.