'Cyclists risked lives over pothole' (From Bucks Free Press)
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'Cyclists risked lives over pothole'
9:20am Sunday 14th October 2012 in News By Rebecca Cain
The pothole and a golf ball to show the size of the pothole
AN aggrieved driver said the county council waited too long to fill in a pothole which he said posed a threat to cyclists.
Keith Johnson's wife's car sustained a flat tyre last year after driving across a deep pothole in Bullocks Farm Lane in Wheeler End.
The 60-year-old said he wrote to Buckinghamshire County Council at the time, which was last October, who replied and said there are two yearly inspections in the road.
They said an inspection carried out three months earlier revealed no defect in the highway.
The director of Design a Chair said he felt quite aggrieved as it was a brand new tyre and they had to fork out £120 for a new one.
He then said he was surprised to discover, that without any further deterioration in the pothole, the council then came and fixed it on September 25 after this year's inspection.
Mr Johnson said: "They did nothing about repairing the pothole. The road itself is a designated Chilterns Cycleway."
"It has taken them over a year to fill it in. Over that time many a cyclist has risked their life."
Dan Green from Transport for Buckinghamshire said: "Transport for Buckinghamshire introduced two Velocity Patchers into service earlier this year. These are being used to target areas of road where minor defects have occurred which are not a safety risk, such as the area on Bullocks Farm Way."
Comments(2)
Mr Totterdge Hill
says...
12:17pm Mon 15 Oct 12
Darren Hayday wrote:Points well made!
BCC seem to take the view of using their legal department rather than using their funds to make these repairs.
They very much seem to be reactive rather than proactive.
We have some very poorly maintained roads in Buckinghamshire compared to other Counties.
Something needs to change, as we pay our taxes and deserve roads without these pot holes in.
Why do they sit on all of this money - also potentially loosing it to Iceland banks, etc
Surely they should be out fixing roads and making them fit for all forms of transport including bikes?
Wake up BCC!
You work for us - not the other way round!
"Wake up BCC!
You work for us - not the other way round!"
Darren Hayday says...
10:07am Mon 15 Oct 12
They very much seem to be reactive rather than proactive.
We have some very poorly maintained roads in Buckinghamshire compared to other Counties.
Something needs to change, as we pay our taxes and deserve roads without these pot holes in.
Why do they sit on all of this money - also potentially loosing it to Iceland banks, etc
Surely they should be out fixing roads and making them fit for all forms of transport including bikes?
Wake up BCC!
You work for us - not the other way round!