Increase in number of teams tackling potholes

Pothole repair

Cheshire East Council says its highways service is working flat out to deal with the increasing number of road defects caused by fluctuating winter temperatures.

Each day, Cheshire East Highways teams are repairing an average of 150 road defects, including potholes, and re-surfacing up to 300 square metres of highway.
The council says that it recognises that residents are concerned about the number of potholes appearing on our roads and their highways service is working throughout the borough to address the problem on a priority basis.

The council is directing additional resources by increasing the number of teams tackling potholes from 12 to 19.

Councillor Don Stockton, cabinet member with responsibility for highways, said: "We are in a similar position to many other local authorities.

"Repeated fluctuations in weather conditions – from above to below freezing – coupled with heavy rainfall, create the worst possible conditions for road surfaces, and result in an increase in the number of potholes.

"I would like our residents to be aware that we are working each day to address this problem. However, cold and wet weather conditions are not conducive to carrying out effective and lasting repairs. This means that in order to ensure the roads remain safe, some of the works are of a temporary nature.

"It has always been our policy, and that of other authorities, to work this way. The bulk of our annual road repair budget is invested in the summer months when working conditions are better and we can deliver longer, lasting repairs.

"All reported potholes and road defects are inspected and we have directed additional resources towards tackling the problem. We have a code of practice which states that necessary repairs are completed within a specified timescale and we have a reporting tool on the Cheshire East highways website so that our residents can alert us to a new defect.

"Over the last four years, we have invested £35m to maintain our road network and we will continue to invest in our roads to make them safe."

People can report any issues directly to the Council via their online reporting tool or by calling 0300 1235020.

Tags:
Potholes
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Jon Newell
Wednesday 14th February 2018 at 1:41 pm
I would hope that a high priority is given to Dean Row Road between the railway bridge and the HJ Mini showroom.
This stretch of road has potholes which are capable of seriously damaging cars - and they seem to have arisen very quickly. The holes are so large that motorists are veering from side to side as they weave their way between the potholes.
I know the weather is being blamed but this just seems wrong. I am not an expert but the holes seem too numerous and too deep for this to be a reason. I suspect substandard materials were used originally.
David Hoyle
Wednesday 14th February 2018 at 2:29 pm
The problem is that the council only fill them in instead of doing a proper job. If they did a proper repair in the first place they would not have to keep coming back to the same potholes.
Laurie Atterbury
Wednesday 14th February 2018 at 6:14 pm
Nice to know that CEC look into all the potholes! Is that all they do?
John Harries
Thursday 15th February 2018 at 9:00 am
Kingston Road, Handforth - just a service road for The Lakes estate and The Grange primary school.
Over a period of 20 months I've lost count of the makshift fill and tamp repairs to a recurring pothole(s) at the intersection of Marlow Drive but it probably runs to the low teens.
Eventually, just before Christmas a contractor (the same one from Stockport who carried out the majority of the previous repairs...) came along with three trucks and a gang of experts, closed the road and cut out the complete width section so all the crumbling old foundations etc. were eliminated, kerbs aligned and replaced the lot, sealed seams, the full works.
Appears to have done the trick, time will tell - but how many call-out charges has the contractor racked up meantime. Is that CEC's fault or that of the happy contractor?
Deleted Account
Thursday 15th February 2018 at 7:11 pm
Hi Jon Newell,

I think we met at the Lidl Sumnerfields Village planning meeting on 14/2/18 ?

I am no road construction expert but like you, I am very concerned about the state of Dean Row Rd. Even our well sprung SUV struggles with the dips and bumps

So heaven knows how smaller vehicles and cyclists cope. Like you I have seen cars weaving around holes to avoid tyre and suspension damage.

Does anybody know what the score is for reporting damage to CE ?

Regards,

Martin

Summerfields Village Residents
Pete Taylor
Thursday 15th February 2018 at 9:15 pm
Write to Don Stockton (he's recently removed his home, Alderley Edge, address from the CEC website and now his mail will go to the office), report problems on the CEC Highways Dept (outsourced, of course) and also contact Fix My Street, who seem to be more effective that either of my two previous suggestions.
Remember all of this at the next election, vote independent, vote Residents of Wilmslow.
Neda Metcalfe
Friday 16th February 2018 at 4:11 am
I live on stanneylands drive ( as does councillor Stockton now) this small road has been repaired so many times I have lost count, it’s always a quick half hour visit to pour a bit of tarmac in any potholes then back again a few months later on so on it goes. I suppose quite lucrative to the contractor but a pain for the tax payers
Pete Taylor
Friday 16th February 2018 at 7:11 am
I think that one thing all us non-experts have learned is that the quick-fix hot spray method of repairing potholes only lasts until the first freeze/thaw cycle loosens all the sprayed material.
A friend of mine is currently black and blue, bruised and battered after hitting a pothole on his bike.
Roger Bagguley
Friday 16th February 2018 at 8:33 pm
Lucky you Neda having Councillor Stockton living in your drive. We don't have a councillor living in our road so our potholes just grow bigger and multiply year on year.
Neda Metcalfe
Monday 19th February 2018 at 3:31 pm
Hi roger him living on our road u fortunately has no impact on the state of it, we have potholes all along the exit onto stanneylands road also street light been out of action for weeks 3 visits from contractors and they have now decided it needs replacing, won’t hold my breath how long that may take, when we asked the answer was no idea. So NO him living on my road has no impact whatsoever he must drive with his eyes shut
Pete Taylor
Tuesday 20th February 2018 at 5:33 pm
According to his declaration on the CEC website he still lives in Alderley but now has another house in his constituency.

Try using Fix My Street to get things done.
Jerry Dixon
Tuesday 20th February 2018 at 7:31 pm
Having watched the road outside the Horse and Jockey fall apart as quickly as Man United's title ambitions, I strolled along to take a photo yesterday. Lo and behold, the deepest holes had been filled. Of course, the numerous holes surrounding these craters were left untouched. The repairs are a joke. They will break up in next week's forecast frost and we'll be back to square one. Does nobody at this farce that masquerades as our council even think about this appalling waste of OUR money?!
Nick Jones
Tuesday 20th February 2018 at 8:19 pm
Don't worry |Jerry ! its only football..... Meanwhile Europe drives on its roads on the left and we drive on whats left of the road !
Estelle Lewis
Tuesday 20th February 2018 at 10:35 pm
I have reported the pot-holes on Dean Row Rd on the CE web page. A map opened up so I could put a cross on the part of the road that needed repairing. There were plenty of crosses already there - obviously this stretch of road has been reported several times previously.
Deleted Account
Saturday 24th February 2018 at 4:53 pm
Hello Estelle,

Summerfields Village

Well your reporting the holes on Dean Row Summerfields Village worked, the Cheshire East contractors were here today so thanks !

I know Cheshire East are under the spotlight at the moment (senior management suspension, manipulated air quality data, accusations of bullying, dubious planning , not listening to residents etc)

But, at least when it comes to filling up the pot holes then they are having a go aren't they ?


Handforth

Let's hope the road contractor's next port of call is the exit road from the Paddock car park.

It's downright dangerous. Little wonder poor old Handforth continues to struggle retail wise and under trade.

Not many motorists would put their suspension to that degree of risk. Very sad isn't it ?

Regards,

Martin Kitchin