“Traffic calming” potholes to be filled

Potholes in an Essex village are to be filled after a county council took the opposite view to a parish council, which saw them as “natural traffic calming”.

Navestock Parish Council in Essex said the holes in the road helped slow down traffic but Essex County Council, which has responsibility for maintaining roads in the area, said it had taken the "opposite view" and pledged to fill in all potholes "as soon as possible", according to the Associated Press.

The parish council has been criticised by motoring and cycling organisations alike. The CTC runs the Fill That Hole campaign designed to protect cyclists from the dangers of running into potholes, which it says are responsible for 12 per cent of compensation claims by CTC members. Local councils have a duty to fix them and the CTC’s dedicated website www.fillthathole.org.uk contains an online form cyclists can fill in when they spot a piece of road that needs, er, filling in!

It’s not difficult to find evidence showing why the issue is so important. Cyclist Warren Peters received horrific injuries when he was catapaulted over the handlebars of his bicycle after hitting a 13cm-deep monster pothole. He suffered multiple fractures including a broken nose and upper jaw, and told the Midhurst and Petworth Observer, "Not enough is being done to repair our roads and this does need highlighting."

The full story, including a picture of Mr Peters' injuries, can be read here