137 replies to this topic

[hyposmurf]

We walked down station road today. Some of the potholes are filled, others very close are not. I wonder how they decide which to fill. Seems odd to fill some, then just a few feet away and further down there are really bad ones.

Yes Ive seen the same thing, some filled some not,seems like a real false economy.Other odd thing Ive noticed is that they fill the worst holes first, but not very well.You can drive over the partly new filled large pothole/s and your car still jolts about.Maybe the 4 year old filling them with a plastic spade needs to make way for the professionals.Ive even seen the pothole fillers pushing the tarmac in place with their boots,which means its likely to be cold fill tarmac.

[roob_the_doob]

Yes Ive seen the same thing, some filled some not,seems like a real false economy.Other odd thing Ive noticed is that they fill the worst holes first, but not very well.You can drive over the partly new filled large pothole/s and your car still jolts about.Maybe the 4 year old filling them with a plastic spade needs to make way for the professionals.Ive even seen the pothole fillers pushing the tarmac in place with their boots,which means its likely to be cold fill tarmac.

When I've seen them, my immediate thought has been that they looked like they hadn't been successful in persuading people to let them tarmac their drives, and it was better to use the tarmac than waste it. (Only just, though.)

[hyposmurf]

When I've seen them, my immediate thought has been that they looked like they hadn't been successful in persuading people to let them tarmac their drives, and it was better to use the tarmac than waste it. (Only just, though.)

Yes you could be right.Not sure whether its worth complaining about the quality of work being done.Only a false economy poorly/partly filling a pothole.

[Fran]

Not sure whether its worth complaining about the quality of work being done.Only a false economy poorly/partly filling a pothole.

Sadly, I doubt it. Four months ago, a large area near our house was finally repaired, about 3 metres square. The surface was filled and levelled, but there was no tar (or whatever it is) to seal the join. Within less than a week, it was beginning to disintegrate slightly at the edges (it's a turning circle, so gets intense wear), so I immediately logged it, pointing out that a quick fix would avoid having to resurface the whole area in a few months time. You can guess the rest.

[hyposmurf]

Sadly, I doubt it. Four months ago, a large area near our house was finally repaired, about 3 metres square. The surface was filled and levelled, but there was no tar (or whatever it is) to seal the join. Within less than a week, it was beginning to disintegrate slightly at the edges (it's a turning circle, so gets intense wear), so I immediately logged it, pointing out that a quick fix would avoid having to resurface the whole area in a few months time. You can guess the rest.

Hopefully the penny will drop some time in the future, before the new allocated budget runs out/is wasted.

[Eaton]

I know that there are a tremendous amount of dangerous potholes that need filling and probably thousands of car rattlers that also need work but I'm amazed that they fill some and not others which are nearby and sometimes more dangerous that the ones that they've filled. A case in point being the roundabout by Hopper and Babb butcher in Amersham, they have roughly and I do mean roughly, filled the large, dangerous potholes on that roundabout but within 100 foot is another dangerous pothole by the Red Cross Charity Shop which they've ignored.

Moor Road by the outside swimming pool is like the surface of the moon, as is large parts of Bellingdon and both of these roads are unlit.

Hivings Hill has some lovely spray markings around the potholes but still nothing has been done. Is it really worth spraying them? Wouldn't it be better to just get the teams out there to fill any hole that they see while they are driving around, instead of employing someone to go out and spray?

[hyposmurf]

Buckinghamshire County Council leader's tyres burst by pothole in Maxwell Road, Beaconsfield

[Eaton]

I wonder how long it took for those holes to be repaired? I'm guessing within 24 hours!

[hyposmurf]

I wonder how long it took for those holes to be repaired? I'm guessing within 24 hours!

Yes your probably not too far wrong.

A decision to put in an immediate £2m to tackle the potholes was made hours before the incident, he said

[PeterC]

and if you want to report a hole the site redirects you to a temporary site, which doesnt appear to have any facility to report a pothole!

I have tried reporting things through the web sites of two different local authorities. And came to the conclusion that they don't actually have anybody checking the messages.

The only way that I have found to get things done is to raise a report through Fix My Street. Two particularly bad pot holes that were practically blocking Blackwell Hall Lane were fixed in 9 days. It was a defintite quick bodge and the holes will be back next winter.

[roob_the_doob]

The only way that I have found to get things done is to raise a report through Fix My Street. Two particularly bad pot holes that were practically blocking Blackwell Hall Lane were fixed in 9 days. It was a defintite quick bodge and the holes will be back next winter.

Next month, more like.

[hyposmurf]

From an email response from Bucks HOC.

Please be advised that all roads in Buckinghamshire are subject to regular inspection and assessed accordingly.

The mind boggles.Maybe their assessment is amiss

[Eaton]

The BFP has posted an article about potholes and there is a quote (below) which may be helpful if you want to make a successful claim for damages:

David Simons, corporate risk and insurance manager at BCC said it has a ‘statutory defence’ as long as roads are routinely inspected and repaired and problems reported by the public are fixed in a ‘reasonable’ time.

He said: “If someone tells us 10 days beforehand that there is a nasty hole at that location then potentially we won’t have a defence [if it is not repaired and a car is damaged as a result].”

Yet he said it is likely there will be ‘arguments in terms of what was reasonable in the circumstances’ if severe weather damages teams’ ability to fix problems quickly.

[hyposmurf]

So they have around 10 days to fill a dangerous pothole with some cold fill, so that they arent liable.Maybe thats why they are just doing poor quick patch pothole repairs.Ive already seen potholes that have been repaired in January starting to break down at the edges and new potholes forming. Just seems like a waste of tax payer money.

[hyposmurf]

Amersham and Chesham MP to discuss Buckinghamshire pothole "havoc" with transport boss

She will meet with County Councillor Val Letheren tomorrow to talk about the “dilapidation” of the county's roads

Maybe the under investment and over inflated wage increases by her parties councillors may have some bearing on it.

When driving through Chesham and Amersham at the weekend the potholes on the road were very noticeable and rather painful, especially on the main route through Chesham and on to Amersham.”

Where has she been up until now?Has it taken her this long to realise how poor the roads are in her own constituency? Its good that hopefully this may get the ball moving a bit faster,regards pothole repairs, but as the elections arent far, it could be more of a press thing.

[PaulEden]

So they have around 10 days to fill a dangerous pothole with some cold fill, so that they arent liable.Maybe thats why they are just doing poor quick patch pothole repairs.Ive already seen potholes that have been repaired in January starting to break down at the edges and new potholes forming. Just seems like a waste of tax payer money.

I've noticed this too.
Holes that were repaired in the previous week and now open again. I can see this becoming more serious unless proper repairs are done.

[mvjt]

Station Road, Amersham, is getting dangerous with all the potholes. I followed a car up the hill the other day which was swerving all over the place just to try and drive to avoid them - this car was crossing the centre line to do so. I too can't help but drive with more than my fair attention looking out for holes, rather than driving with an eye on the roads as a whole. It's only a matter of time before there is an accident.

[Fran]

I hope everyone is reporting the bad ones. Well, not every single one as that ages, but the main areas. If they get enough reports for a particular site it surely means they have to inspect and fix them - eventually.

You can now identify the location by clicking on a map, which is handy if there isn't a nearby house number you can link the report to, though you can just type the address if you prefer:
http://www.buckscc.g...s_On_Call.page?

[hyposmurf]

Has anyone else seen a ny pothole filling going on in Chesham or Amersham?All I have noticed is the spray markings on roads.Certain roads that were menat to be closed havent been.Maybe they are awaiting their financial cuts or maybe I just havent seen any of the work being done.

[Eaton]

Last week they filled some potholes on Hollow Way Lane but not well and the heavy rain has already washed the filling out.

[GJC]

Has anyone else seen a ny pothole filling going on in Chesham or Amersham?All I have noticed is the spray markings on roads.Certain roads that were menat to be closed havent been.Maybe they are awaiting their financial cuts or maybe I just havent seen any of the work being done.

Did you see the list a put up a while ago showing locations and dates of roadworks? I have attached copy with some of the older dates deleted to make a smaller file.

Attached Files

•  tfb2.doc   123.5K   6 downloads

[hyposmurf]

Did you see the list a put up a while ago showing locations and dates of roadworks? I have attached copy with some of the older dates deleted to make a smaller file.

Thanks for that yes I did see it before but was unable to find it again.These are a number of programmed road closures that are for pothole filling,but I know there are many more roads that have potholes that have been reported that arent on that list and others that have been spray marked that also arent on the list.Just curious as to whether things maybe on hold.Eaton said she's seen potholes filled,so maybe they are fillig areas Im not in.

[GJC]

Copperkins Lane has had the marking put on the road ready for work to be done first week in August, and I am assured that it is still going ahead as planned.

[hyposmurf]

It seems were at that time of year when many of the potholes will get worse.I've noticed myself a number of them getting larger over the last month.Also frustrating that a few potholes filled with tarmac around a month ago, have already fragmented & parts have come out.

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/localnews/chesham/8724171.___Worst_ever__potholes_expected/

[gazza13]

I've reported several recently on www.fixmystreet.com and although I've had acknowledgemnents nothing else has happened.


The only complaint that seeems to have been looked at is the big ones to the side of the sorting office and Robsons in Elm Avenue. But this ia a private road and they won't fill in the holes.

[Eaton]

the sorting office and Robsons in Elm Avenue. But this ia a private road and they won't fill in the holes.

It's ridiculous especially as the council put the double yellow lines on that stretch and are happy to receive the revenue from them!

[Speedy]

It's ridiculous especially as the council put the double yellow lines on that stretch and are happy to receive the revenue from them!

If it's a private road, who gave the council permission to put double yellows on it?

[Eaton]

If it's a private road, who gave the council permission to put double yellows on it?

Good question and one that I asked but there wasn't an answer.

[roob_the_doob]

If it's a private road, who gave the council permission to put double yellows on it?

I don't think it's a private road until you reach the gates. Before that it is council adopted, so they are allowed to put yellow lines on it and issue parking tickets. But they should also repair the road surface. If they claim it is unadopted, and that they have no obligation to repair the road, then parking tickets have no force and can be ignored. They can't have it both ways.

[gazza13]

Here was the reply saying it was private. I haven't contacted Cheryl Gillan as she has probably got better things to do.

Saturday, 30 October, 2010 11:31

ticketno:[8000184474]}

Dear Mr MXXXXXX

Thank you for your email. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to you.

I have checked our records and can confirm that the whole of Elm Close, Amersham is a private road with no sections maintained by Transport for Buckinghamshire.

We have had numerous recent enquiries relating to the condition of this road, including one recently from Cheryl Gillan MP, and so Senior Management got involved and have clarified this information is correct.

May I suggest you get in touch with Cheryl Gillan MP as I suspect she may be investigating who owns the road on behalf of her constituents.

Should you have any further enquiries please do not hesitate to contact us by email, or by phone on 0845 2302882 (8am to 6.30pm) or on 01296 486630 (out of hours service for emergencies only) quoting CRN:302189 as the reference number.

Please help us to improve our service to you by completing this short survey

Kind Regards,
Karla Wheeler
Customer Service Advisor
Customer Contact
Buckinghamshire County Council
Walton Street
Aylesbury
HP20 1UA
0845 2302882