That moment when you realise the Council aren't listening...

[downfader]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/13713277.Pensioner_fights_for_life_after_bike_crash_in_subway/

Frustrated.

I reported this via the council website in 2014. I'd ridden the underpass at the time and as I descended into it at what I would call a cautious speed, no where near a fast one, I'd hit a hole in the ground and then found myself sliding, upright towards the wall. Thankfully my rear tyre regained traction and I was able to control the bike.

I stopped and walked back. The lights were out down there and it was dark even though it was daylight outside. So I shone the bike light down to see the whole ground smeared with mud and rotten leaves (this was July I think, so you cant blame autumn). There was a definite pothole down there right at the point the path bends to the right.

Got home, got on the council website and reported it. Then I didnt ride it until about a month back only to realise that its exactly the same (if not the pothole is actually worse). TBH I dont remember reporting it a second time. Trouble is the website doesnt/didnt send you confirmation.. and having lots of other stuff on my mind too..

The news story depresses me because it was easily avoided by being fixed. I have in the past urged local riders to report these things but you constantly get told by other riders of similar experiences.

Whats the solution? Personally I dont know. I've asked on twitter for local riders to go to the media and highlight this. We seem to be in a lose-lose situation for now. I hope the old fella recovers!

 

[Brains]

Councils dont give a damn about such things
Ensure that the damaged gentleman, if he survives, is aware that the issue was reported, so that his lawyers have something to go on.

 

[Origamist]

I'd contact the police with your story.

Anyone with information is urged to call Sgt Alex Rawdon-Smith at Totton Police Station on 101.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Trouble is the website doesnt/didnt send you confirmation

This is why I always use http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ . I have full access to all current and closed hazards I've reported.

GC

 

[downfader]

I'd contact the police with your story.

I didnt witness the crash, so I fail to see how I could benefit their inquiry?

This is why I always use http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/ . I have full access to all current and closed hazards I've reported.

GC

I have used the same too. Our council still seems to ignore such reports.

 

[Origamist]

I didnt witness the crash, so I fail to see how I could benefit their inquiry?

I have used the same too. Our council still seems to ignore such reports.

The information re: the state of the path and tunnel that you possess might be useful - as it could be that the rider was taken down by the pothole. You had reported this defect and the council had failed to act. Even if the pothole was not the cause of the crash, it might help to get the issue sorted!

 

[ColinJ]

This is why I always use http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

I have used the same too. Our council still seems to ignore such reports.

I think it probably depends on how you go about it ... I got an almost immediate result - LINK!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I have used the same too. Our council still seems to ignore such reports

Yes, but at least it gives an audit trail of reports that the council can't deny.

Over the last month I've twice reported a dangerous pothole halfway up Barnet Hill. Nothing has been done.

I've always found the fastest way to get a dangerous hazard sorted is to ask the council for a personal injury claim form, specifying the location of the hazard encountered.

GC

 

[mjr]

We are unable to do this via Fix-My-Street."

I think they mean they are unwilling to do this via FixMyStreet, because we know councils can reply through it - see Norfolk CC replying in https://www.fixmystreet.com/report/664955 - they just need to connect their system as described at https://www.fixmystreet.com/open311

I feel some councils would prefer people to register problems directly on their websites because then the council keeps control of the reports and usually instead of a quick web search, each search for reports can take a month (using FoI Act) and even then people still can't prove that they were told of a lethal fault.

 

[Racing roadkill]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/13713277.Pensioner_fights_for_life_after_bike_crash_in_subway/

Frustrated.

I reported this via the council website in 2014. I'd ridden the underpass at the time and as I descended into it at what I would call a cautious speed, no where near a fast one, I'd hit a hole in the ground and then found myself sliding, upright towards the wall. Thankfully my rear tyre regained traction and I was able to control the bike.

I stopped and walked back. The lights were out down there and it was dark even though it was daylight outside. So I shone the bike light down to see the whole ground smeared with mud and rotten leaves (this was July I think, so you cant blame autumn). There was a definite pothole down there right at the point the path bends to the right.

Got home, got on the council website and reported it. Then I didnt ride it until about a month back only to realise that its exactly the same (if not the pothole is actually worse). TBH I dont remember reporting it a second time. Trouble is the website doesnt/didnt send you confirmation.. and having lots of other stuff on my mind too..

The news story depresses me because it was easily avoided by being fixed. I have in the past urged local riders to report these things but you constantly get told by other riders of similar experiences.

Whats the solution? Personally I dont know. I've asked on twitter for local riders to go to the media and highlight this. We seem to be in a lose-lose situation for now. I hope the old fella recovers!

The answer is to close that underpass to everyone. As soon as the peds / dog walkers and joggers get on at the council, they may listen. I use that underpass a lot, it's dark, often flooded, and knackered, if you're coming from the university side, there are some lovey tree roots, that have raised the Tarmac just as you exit the tunnel ( a bit of a if its dark or you don't know about them). This is the first time I've heard of anyone really coming a cropper through there.

 

[summerdays]

I use Fix My Street, and I've had success with it, the latest success being two bollards that were at the bottom of a hill in a park, that were permenantly locked into their laying on the ground position, but at an angle to the path. In daylight knowing they were there easy to avoid for an adult, but as it's just down the path from the children's swings etc it was an accident waiting to happen. Also unlit at night.

It took a couple of months but they suddenly disappeared, and I found out when someone moaned on Facebook that they had gone, and cars would now be able to up there (as they could just drive around the posts, or over them on the ground, I didn't agree).

Still it was another success!

 

[classic33]

Over the last month I've twice reported a dangerous pothole halfway up Barnet Hill. Nothing has been done. I've just received an email from the Council with the following paragraph

"We note that you contacted us using Fix-My-Street. It would really help us respond more efficiently to your request if you could use the new Report-It feature on the Council's website. You can save time by registering with MyAccount so you won't need to keep re-entering your details. This then goes straight into our Highways system so we can keep you updated on your request. We are unable to do this via Fix-My-Street."

So, it's all my fault for using the wrong site

Fix my street places the councils in a league table. Its use is unpopular, due to this, with councils.
Continue using it.

 

[summerdays]

You could always do it through both systems.... I like the features in fix my street so I can see all my old reports and they sometimes ask if something has been fixed, whereas council systems just disappear into a black hole, and other people can see it has been reported before.

 

[classic33]

You could always do it through both systems.... I like the features in fix my street so I can see all my old reports and they sometimes ask if something has been fixed, whereas council systems just disappear into a black hole, and other people can see it has been reported before.

The holes just disappear!

 

[classic33]

You could do what I once did. Make a list of each defect on the route you use. One entry for ever defect, numbered, with a map showing where the defect is. Mine was one & half sheets of A4, covering the route I was doing at the time. (Split shifts, so I was passing over the same section twice a day.) And hand that into the local council office.