Drivers furious at state of crumbling roads in and around Lincoln

As the winter weather conditions continue, potholes have become an increasing issue in and around Lincoln.

Drivers have reported damage to their vehicles, and said they often have to ‘weave’ around potholes in a bid to avoid potholes in the road.

Many readers have contacted The Lincolnite to complain about uneven and crater-ridden roads. Particular hotspots included the A46 at Nettleham and Longdales Road in uphill Lincoln.

Lincolnshire County Council spends around £50 million on highway maintenance each year.

The council repaired 4,000 potholes in December 2017.

If a pothole is considered a safety issue, which usually means it is 40mm or deeper, it should be dealt by the council within the following timescales:

• A roads and the busiest B roads – Made safe within 24 hours and a repair arranged
• B roads and the busiest C roads – Seven days
• C roads and unclassified roads – 28 days

These timescales can be affected by other factors, e.g. bad weather, high traffic levels. More minor potholes, which are less than 40mm deep, can take longer to repair, with most being dealt with within three months.

Potholes on Nettleham A46. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

‘Roads are crumbling’

Following a post on The Lincolnite Facebook page, hundreds of readers commented with their experiences of potholes in the Lincoln area.

Jane Austin said: “The A46 between the bypass and Welton is horrendous and dangerous, Scothern Lane, between Dunholme and Scothern, and the road between Nettleham and Scothern are all horrendous, as are most of the roads around Lincoln.”

Ben Lilley added: “A46 Nettleham is a joke, cars are weaving to miss the potholes.”

Neil Gillard said:

“Nettleham A46 is an accident waiting to happen.

“It’s been reported yet still nothing been done about it.”

Sue Hall added: “Longdales Road cycle lanes heading towards Ravendale Drive are horrific at the moment.”

Robert Tighe commented: “I have to say working in a lot of different villages, I’ve not known it this bad for potholes, some stretch of roads are crumbling, it’s shocking.”

After being contacted by The Lincolnite, the council said work would begin to repair potholes on Longdales Roads and the A46 at Nettleham ‘within the next few days’.

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

‘£50m on potholes only goes so far’

Councillor Richard Davies, Executive Member for Highways at Lincolnshire County Council said: “We’re repairing thousands of potholes every month, with over 4,000 dealt with in December alone.

Lincolnshire County Councillor Richard Davies. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Dangerous defects are fixed as a matter of urgency, with other issues being prioritised and dealt with as resources allow. That way we can keep on top of things as best we can.

“Broadly speaking the timescale for a repair will depend on the severity of the pothole and the type of road it is located on.

“It’s normal for more potholes to develop at this time of year, but the weather this year has been particularly bad for the roads. The combination of wet weather, freezing temperatures and mild spells means potholes are even more likely to form.

“The council spends a total around £50 million on highways maintenance each year. While this sounds like a lot of money, we have 5,500 miles of road to maintain and that funding will only go so far.

“It’s for that reason that we are calling on the government for fairer funding for Lincolnshire. If councils here received the average funding for council areas in England, the region would benefit from £116 million of extra funding for services every year – some of which could be used towards highways repairs.

“This would make an enormous difference.”

To report a highways fault, click or tap here or call 01522 782070.

Potholes on roads maintained by Highways England, for example the A1 at Grantham, can be reported by calling Highways England on 0300 123 5000.