THE funding Thurrock Council receives from government to fix pot holes will increase next financial year.
From April 2017, the amount the council receives will increase from £110,000 to £153,000, covering the cost of filling hundreds more potholes compared to the year before.
As part of the Clean it, Cut it, Fill it campaign, by the end of December more than 9,000 potholes had been filled. Thurrock Council maintains 576 kilometres of road in the borough through its role as a highways authority.
Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport, Cllr Brian Little, said: “This massive – 40 per cent – increase in funding is great news.
“Potholes are a priority for residents and the council. This increase in funding means we will have to find less money from other budgets in our ambition to repair all significant potholes in Thurrock.
“I want to make sure that the public highways are fit for purpose for our residents and businesses – this is welcome addition to that cause.
“Clearly Clean it, Cut it, Fill it has worked and residents are noticing the difference on our roads.”
For more information on the Love Thurrock campaign, go to thurrock.gov.uk/lovethurrock
It’s just a shame how we are duped into thinking this is a work in progress, anything that is a quick fix and potholes are and with very little preparation or thought are not the answer, the infrastructure is falling apart and many of these filled potholes will be ‘potholes again as winter takes it grip.
This false economy, the cost, the claims for damage to vehicles and the damage done surely outweigh the long term prosperity of our infrastructure, which by now is light years away from where it needs to be.
Maybe Cllr Little feels it is a victory, but with ministers giving 40% more tells it’s own story that in fact these methods are not improving things but costing more to play catch up.
As we drive around Thurrock we see lots of areas where potholes are now a cluster of filled holes, surely when that day comes instead of a number of small potholes TBC will be implementing road closures as these areas will become too dangerous to drive on.
So as our clogged road system gets busier, all we are residents can hope for is more agony on the roads.
Some of the A roads around Thurrock are deteriorating, one place in particular is Ford Place as you turn into Stanford Road the inner wheel track is failing for 320-30m will soon become a major issue if not dealt with, we know the torment when the traffic lights were out and took almost a week to repair.
We need POSITIVE THINKING AND FUNDING to make things work, potholes are a negative as they are just a temporary fix, soon we will be rding on bumpy almost unmade roads as potholes overtake the pavements around Thurrock.
POTHOLES are born out of failing materials, traffic loads, our climate and the professionalism of those designing and resurfacing our roads, which all tell a story in itself that the roads are worn out, suffering from the heavier traffic loading due to the M25 and road works locally or in some cases poorly designed packages (where single layer cosmetic surfacing is undertaken), this may fit the budget criteria but often is one of the reasons we get so many potholes appearing, (the design life is usually 30 years) and testing would prove many of Thurrock’s roads are worn out.
THE OLD SAYING IS YOU CANNOT MAKE A SILK PURSE OUT OF A PIGS EAR
So in years to come our roads will be that PIGS EAR!