Cheshire East Council has hit back following reports in a national newspaper that Cheshire East Council is the worst in the UK for potholes.
New analysis by Tempcover, which was based on data from FixMyStreet.com, showed that Cheshire East Council topped the list with 17,191 open pothole reports, with the oldest reported in March 2020.
Councillor Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council's highways and transport committee, said: "Thankfully, Cheshire East does not have 17,197 potholes as incorrectly reported in a recent national newspaper. Instead, at the time of this article appearing, we had 550 defects. This is across a network of almost 1,680 miles (2,700kms).
"Last year, we fixed over 35,000 potholes, and the 550 represent a normal number that we could expect to be assessing. There will of course always be enquiries in the system waiting to be processed but we believe the discrepancy is due to the way reports have been showing on Fix My Street.
"The council will soon be moving away from Fix My Street though and will be launching a new online tool. It will allow residents to easily report a wider variety of issues like potholes, fallen trees, abandoned vehicles and fly-tipping within their community. It will also more accurately record the number of potholes we have too!
"More details will be announced about this in the coming weeks."
Cllr Goldsmith added: "We absolutely understand the frustration that potholes cause to our residents though and we're working effectively to tackle them and are currently putting together our investment programme for 2025/26.
"We're not alone in facing this challenge, with councils across the country battling with this same issue.
"We are using our limited budgets in the best possible way and ensuring that investment made on repairing roads is done using the right treatment, at the right place, at the right time."
Comments
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Just like the bye pass re surfaced and so badly done it damaged many cars
Booze up and brewery comes to mind!
I just don't believe that, unless CE's definition of a pot hole is something far more massive and dangerous than the average motorist's (and motor cyclist's and cyclist's) definition of one.
Mr Goldsmith seems to have forgotten that pot holes can’t be redacted or hidden behind the usual nonsensical waffle the council like to use when trying to excuse their ineptitude.
Anyone unfortunate enough to have first hand experience of the roads around Cheshire East knows the faults run into 1000’s.
Although whether it's worse in Cheshire than elsewhere is hard to say, the 550 "road defect" number is clearly fanciful nonsense, (I'll have a pint of whatever the person who did the counting is drinking), but what seems to be happening isn't the road itself breaking up so much as previous repairs or pipeline/cable installations breaking at the edges.
It's shoddy work in the past that's largely caused this, (as well as heavier and heavier vehicles) something obviously needs to be done but filling potholes now is simply a sticking plaster because it'll continue happening.
We could likely ALL cite 505 defects in our own localities.
Maybe less time covered ones backside and more time actually doing something Mr Goldsmith.
Goldsmith talks about using their limited budget best they can Well, does that include the £22,221.46 on dishwashers at Delamere House?