State of East Sussex roads comes in for heavy criticism

The state of East Sussex’s roads have come in for heavy criticism following this winter’s extremely wet weather.
A pothole in East SussexA pothole in East Sussex
A pothole in East Sussex

East Sussex County Council has confirmed that more than 11,000 potholes since November 2019 - around three times more than the same period the year before.

This was as a result of the ‘severe weather’ causing additional damage and the council increasing the number of work crews tasked with pothole repairs in response, lead member for transport Claire Dowling said on Tuesday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cllr Dowling said: “We’ve had the wettest winter for the past 20 years. As we all know, it started raining in November and looking out at sunshine today we are hoping that - apart from the usual March showers - that is what we will get

“Members will be aware that the biggest cause of potholes is water and we have had an awful lot of it.

“This winter’s weather led to an increase in the number of potholes. Normally we would get between 3,500 to 4,000 but this year we have dealt with more than 11,000 potholes.

“We are working flat out, we have increased the number of contractor’s gangs from 10 to 16, and potholes that have been reported are being repaired.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cllr Dowling said some of the potholes had been temporary repairs, with more permanent patching work planned for the spring and summer once the weather improves.

She also urged residents to report potholes to the council and not to assume someone would have already done so. A reported pothole will have a white line painted around it, she added.

Cllr Dowling’s comments came after a number of councillors raised concerns about potholes, during a discussion of the council’s third quarter performance.

During that discussion Liberal Democrat group leader David Tutt criticised cuts to the council’s highways maintenance budget, which the report said had achieved savings of £889,000 in this financial year. 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cllr Tutt said: “The evidence of that saving is only too obvious. I was travelling the other day and I saw the car in front of me weaving all over the road like he was drunk, until I realised what he was actually doing was trying to avoid the potholes.

“[Potholes] are many and numerous across East Sussex now. I get many contacts from people, not just within my own area but across the county, who are concerned about these. Some of these are now the size of moon craters. What we are seeing are potholes that need desperately to be filled, but I believe it goes beyond that. If you look at some roads they are actually breaking up. 

“I think rather than seeing continual cuts in the highways maintenance budget, we need to ask cabinet to look at what can actually make our roads smoother [and] safer.

“The only people who are unlikely to be happy if we achieve that are car repair shops, who must be making a fortune at the moment.” 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Godfrey Daniel, co-leader of the council’s Labour group, added: “My main concern is actually the temporary filling and the standard of that seems appalling. You get it filled and then it disappears again in a very short time.

“I know it has been an incredibly wet couple of months but people are really fed up to the back teeth.

“I’m not saying there is an easy answer because it always comes down to money and that I understand.”