Less than a year ago a mini roundabout was completely resurfaced near where I live. This was several days work, caused a lot of disruption, but was accepted by local people in Thorpe Marrott as necessary in order to prevent the roundabout deteriorating.
So what's the problem ? It already has a pothole ! Now I understand how pot holes happen. The BBC gave a helpful if slightly patronising explanation half way down THIS story, but for this to happen on a newly resurfaced and rebuilt piece of road smacks of some very bad workmanship. I have reported the pothole, but given that previous potholes reported weeks ago have not been fixed, their pledge to do the work within seven days seems innaccurate.
This wouldn't be so bad if it were a one off, but last year I tore my tyre very badly on a pothole on a newly resurfaced and rebult piece of road between Drayton and Costessey when my tyre tore of a lothole almost a yard in length. Of course, Norfolk County Council said they were not liable because they had not been previously notified of the fault. My question to them at the time was why on earth was their such sever damage to a new piece of road that had only been re-opened a month earlier ?
Given that it appears to be a running theme of work done by Norfolk County Council or their contractors, are Norfolk County Council really spending our money wisely ?
4 comments:
There is a pothole crisis now up and down Britain. That should say we need to know about the policy on spending on roads.
We have the same problem in Hull. No sooner do they tarmac over the pot holes and the pot holes reappear. I too think it is doing it on the cheap, poor quality resurfacing and poor quality of workmanship.
There is a large hill leading to a market town near us with a footpath half way up each side finishing at the brow. Obviously the very few people who walk it cross the road at this point.The road surface has become extremely potholed over the recent few weeks.
As I approached it on Friday there were temp. traffic lights and men were working. No, not on the road, they were tarmacing the footpath.Obviously someones got their priorities right.
The problem with all councils and their contractors seems to be a total lack of quality control and the absence of any incentive by the contractors to do a good job.
When the job was done by council workers they had an incentive to do a good job; if they didn't they'd have to come back and do it again. With a contractor, there's every incentive to do a bad job; they get paid each time they do it - no-body notices that it's the same pot hole every time!
I tend to favour privatisation in principle, but without very tight supervision it can cost a fortune.
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