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Pothole misery: Motorists report 1,881 potholes in West Berkshire in two months




Motorists in West Berkshire have reported ten times as many potholes on the district’s roads than the same time last year.

The council’s budget meeting last week heard that 1,881 potholes have been reported between January and February this year – up on 116 last year.

A large pothole, covered by floodwater, on the B4494 between Leckhampstead and Peasemore left vehicles damaged
A large pothole, covered by floodwater, on the B4494 between Leckhampstead and Peasemore left vehicles damaged

Denise Gaines (Lib Dem, Hungerford and Kintbury), executive portfolio holder for highways, housing and sustainable travel, said that is 10 times number of potholes on this time last year.

“We have spent £400,000 more fixing these in this administration than in the last three years,” she said, adding that big potholes were being fixed within three days.

The council says it will normally repair potholes that have a 50mm vertical edge and are 300mm wide; however, each pothole is assessed using ‘a risk-based approach.’

It has even published diagrams of what sort of potholes will get fixed.

West Berkshire Council has issued guidance on the size of potholes that will be fixed
West Berkshire Council has issued guidance on the size of potholes that will be fixed

And it has an interactive map on its website which shows where potholes have been reported, giving them each a serial number.

At rough count, there were around 20 reported potholes in the central Newbury area last night.

£8.5m has been set aside to improve roads and footpaths in West Berkshire next year.

Signage improvement gets £55,000, and £255,000 goes to footway improvements.



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