Ridiculous New Rules Applied To Pot Hole Repairs

Saturday, 3. September 2011

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As I write this item we’re into the first day of the new registration and the first day of autumn, not that you’d notice after a terrible summer. But already I am reading about impending pot hole problems this winter, set to get worse after a Highways Agency rule change. The warning raised by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) highlighted the rules applied to potholes on motorways and trunk roads. In future the new rule states that unless a pothole is more than 15cm wide or more than 4cm deep it is no longer to be regarded as ‘urgent’.

This means that instead of the holes being repaired within 24 hours they can now be left until contractors decide to carry out the work.

Whilst it has been considered that holes of this size are not considered to be dangerous to vehicles travelling at 70 miles per hour (not sure about cyclists on trunk roads) but as the IAM point out most large and dangerous potholes start out small so it would be better and safer to repair all potholes the moment they appear or we may see accidents and lives put at risk. Any views? Please let me know. By Graham Hill